Quantitation of hepatic granulomas and epithelioid cells in primary biliary cirrhosis

The number of granulomas and loosely arranged epithelioid cell foci in wedge liver biopsy specimens of 39 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis were counted and correlated with other hepatic lesions. Granulomas and cell foci were present in 76.9 and 87.2% of the patients, respectively; their numbers varied greatly from case to case (mean +/- S.D.: 2.4 +/- 3.4 per cm2 and 4.7 +/- 5.5 per cm2 of liver section; range: 0 to 18.5 per cm2 and 0 to 23.3 per cm2, respectively) and decreased as bile duct loss progressed. There was positive correlation between the number of cell foci with the extent of florid duct lesions, and negative correlation with hepatic fibrosis and deposition of copper granules.