The legend of the lardaceous liver

Liver biopsy

“…Liver histology in patients with hepatomegaly or apparent diffuse disease may help establish a diagnosis, but whether it is clinically useful or cost effective is unknown. Examples of diffuse diseases include amyloidosis,29, 30 granulomatous hepatitis caused by any of a number of processes, and a host of other miscellaneous disorders.…”

“…Reports of complications such as “fracture” of the liver or massive hemorrhage in patients with amyloidosis have raised concern about liver biopsy in these patients 29, 30. However, there are not enough good data available to make specific recommendations and thus, patients should be handled on an individual basis.…”

AASLD position paper: Liver biopsy

“…Examples of diffuse diseases include amyloidosis, 29,30 granulomatous hepatitis caused by any of a number of processes, and a host of other miscellaneous disorders.…”

Hepatolymphomania

“…4 Over the last years, many studies have shown the importance of antigen specific CD4 ϩ T cells to different epitopes in the natural history of HCV infection. 5,6 To provide a wider analysis and to understand the possible modulation of Th2 to Th1 network in early phase of infection, Rahman et al have assayed the HCV-specific T-cell response toward 600 overlapping HCV peptides and 6 proteins by an ex vivo enzyme-linked immunospot. The authors hypothesized that a sustained response to the antiviral treatment was not associated with a lasting enhancement of HCV-specific T-cell responsiveness in blood.…”

“…The "lymphomania" in me aroused, I next spied another "lymph note" in the breezy "Legend of the Lardaceous Liver" Landmark that just appeared. 5 Reference is made to the Dane Thomas Bartholin, who first described the thoracic duct in 1654. But he is not as stated also the "discoverer of the lymphatic system."…”