Pathological spectrum of alcoholic liver disease

Abstract

Alcoholic liver disease encompasses three main forms of liver injury: fatty change, alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. However, there are many other types of injury, including perivenular fibrosis, venous occlusive lesions, microscopic cholangitis and chronic active hepatitis. The pathological spectrum is reviewed in this paper, and the contribution of other injurious agents to the pathological features is identified. Alcoholic liver disease can be mimicked by a variety of non-alcoholic liver diseases. However, features such as fatty liver with perivenular fibrosis, giant mitochondria, spotty hepatocyte necrosis, Mallory bodies, a micronodular pattern of cirrhosis, and iron deposition are strongly suggestive of an alcoholic aetiology. Correlation of clinical findings, and especially the alcohol history, and histopathological factors is necessary for the definitive diagnosis.