A Histopathologic Study of Hepatic Lymph Nodes

Abstract

Hepatic lymph nodes were studied in 89 autopsies and 11 surgical specimens. Only 17 of them failed to reveal any gross or microscopic change. Lipid granulomas, sinus histiocytosis, acute inflammation, tuberculoid granulomas, extensive coagulative necrosis, and subcapsular and hilar lymphangiectasia were some of the features seen in the other specimens. None of the latter could be correlated with pathologic changes in other organs. The similarity of some of these alterations to specific disorders, such as tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, Hodgkin''s granuloma, and histiocytosis, is emphasized. Knowledge of nonspecific anatomic variants is helpful when dealing with biopsy material.