[Computerized histological analysis in chronic viral hepatitis]

Chronic liver diseases evolve towards cirrhosis by means of the progressive substitution of hepatic tissue with fibrotic areas. In this work we measured the percentage of fibrotic areas with respect to the total area of the bioptic specimens, utilizing a histomorphometric computerized evaluation. The specimens were obtained by 39 patients affected to chronic viral liver diseases, before and after a therapy with alpha interferon. The aim of this study is to determine the architectural sprain degree at the different stages of chronic liver disease, and to verify if the response to the therapy with interferon is associated with a reduction of the fibrotic areas within the hepatic tissue. The comparison between our computerized index and the Knodell index indicates that the first can be considered an useful system for the evaluation of hepatic biopsies from patients affected by chronic viral hepatitis.