Light microscopic examinations revealed abnormalities of interlobular bile ducts in 35 liver biopsy specimens obtained from 34 patients (25 men and 9 women) among 406 specimens from 367 patients with acute or chronic viral hepatitis. Abnormal interlobular bile ducts were characterized by swollen or flattened epithelial cells accompanied with karyopyknosis or karyorrhexis. The cytoplasm of some epithelial cells with karyopyknosis was deeply stained with eosin. Vacuolized epithelial cells were observed in 27 liver specimens.In 34 specimens the epithelium was infiltrated with inflammatory cells which generally Included lymphocytes and rarely neutrophils. Pseudostratification in the epithelium was found in 8 specimens but no papillary structure was observed. The lumen was obstructed by swollen epithelial cells in 4 specimens and cellular debris were occasionally found in the lumen. Ruptured walls of the bile ducts were noticed in 9 specimens. The portal tracts with abnormal interlobular bile ducts were enlarged and often infiltrated by lymphocytes which occasionally formed follicles without germinal center. The ductular proliferation was found in all biopsy specimens and a marked degree of this change was found in 12 specimens. The periductal granuloma was never found. Antimitochondrial antibody was not detected in 14 cases investigated.
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Shoji Yamada (1980) studied this question.
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