Liver Fibrosis
What is Liver Fibrosis?
Fibrosis is excessive accumulation of scar tissue that results from ongoing inflammation and liver cell death that occurs in most types of chronic liver diseases. Nodules, abnormal spherical areas of cells, form as dying liver cells are replaced by regenerating cells. This regeneration of cells causes the liver to become hard. Fibrosis refers to the accumulation of tough, fibrous scar tissue in the liver.
References
HCVadvocate.org “Disease Progression: What is Fibrosis? http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factsheets_pdf/Fibrosis.pdf Retrieved March 28, 2011
HIVandHepatitis.com “Non-Invasive Ways to Assess Liver Disease: Studies Test Alternatives to Liver Biopsy”http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hep_c/news/2008/020508_b.html/ Retrieved March 28, 2011
Home Health Guide “Liver Fibrosis” http://medicallywiseinfo.com/2010/757/liver-fibrosis.html/ Retrieved March 28, 2011
Mayo Clinic “Mayo Clinic Innovation Aids in Diagnosing Hepatic Fibrosis” http://www.mayoclinic.org/news2009-sct/5160.html/ Retrieved March 28, 2011
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse NDDIC “Chronic Hepatitis C: Current Disease Management – Liver Biopsy” http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/chronichepc/ Retrieved March 28, 2011
PubMed.gov “Liver Fibrosis” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15690074/ Retrieved March 28, 2011