[Drug-induced liver damage from the morphologic viewpoint]

An overview about drug-induced liver injury is presented. The most frequent changes of the hepatocytes are those of the organelles, which are adaptive at the beginning, but in later stages they can develop to degenerative alterations leading to necrosis. Cases of drug-induced hepatitis simulating all types of non-suppurative hepatitis are a major problem of diagnosis. Bile duct lesions can include pure cholestasis, cholangiolitis and destruction of intrahepatic ducts. Drug-induced vascular lesions including tumours can be found as isolated phenomenon or in association with other signs of drug-induced liver damage. Hyperplasia (focal or diffuse) and neoplasia of the liver can develop in the course of a longstanding application of some drugs.