January 1, 2024
The liver is the body’s largest internal organ. It filters the blood, makes bile to help digest fat, and stores energy. The bile ducts are thin tubes that carry bile from the liver to the intestine. When tissue is removed from the liver or bile ducts, a pathologist examines it under a microscope and describes what they see in your pathology report.
This page brings together our guides to conditions found in the liver and bile ducts. The articles are grouped by type to help you find the one that matches your diagnosis. Some conditions are cancerous, some are precancerous (not cancer, but a change that can increase the risk of cancer over time), and many are not cancer at all. Select any article below to learn more.
Cancers of the liver and bile ducts
These diagnoses are cancers that develop in the liver or in the bile ducts. The articles explain how each cancer is diagnosed and what the details in your pathology report mean.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of primary liver cancer, meaning a cancer that starts in the liver. This article explains how it is diagnosed and what the details in your pathology report mean.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC, or you have a history of cirrhosis or hepatitis.
Cholangiocarcinoma is a cancer that starts in the bile ducts. This article gives an overview of the diagnosis, including the different types and what your pathology report describes.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions cholangiocarcinoma or bile duct cancer, or you want a general overview before reading about a specific type.
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is a bile duct cancer that starts in the small bile ducts inside the liver. This article explains how it is diagnosed and what your report describes.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, or a bile duct cancer inside the liver.
Extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
Extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is a bile duct cancer that starts in the bile ducts outside the liver. This article explains how it is diagnosed and what your report describes.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, or a bile duct cancer outside the liver.
Precancerous changes
This diagnosis describes a precancerous change in the lining of the bile ducts. It is not cancer, but it can increase the risk that bile duct cancer develops over time. The article explains what this diagnosis means.
Biliary intraepithelial neoplasia
Biliary intraepithelial neoplasia is a precancerous change in the cells lining the bile ducts. It is not cancer, but it can increase the risk of bile duct cancer over time. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions biliary intraepithelial neoplasia or BilIN.
Noncancerous tumors and growths
These diagnoses are noncancerous tumors and growths of the liver and bile ducts. They are not cancer and are often found by chance during imaging done for another reason. The articles explain what each diagnosis means.
A hepatocellular adenoma is a noncancerous tumor of the liver. It is sometimes linked to hormones or certain medications. This article explains what this diagnosis means and how it is treated.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a hepatocellular adenoma, also called a hepatic adenoma or liver adenoma.
Focal nodular hyperplasia is a noncancerous growth in the liver made of normal liver cells arranged in an unusual pattern. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions focal nodular hyperplasia or FNH, or a liver mass found during imaging.
A bile duct adenoma is a small, noncancerous growth made of bile duct cells. It is often found by chance during surgery or imaging. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a bile duct adenoma.
A bile duct hamartoma is a small, noncancerous collection of bile ducts in the liver. This article explains what this diagnosis means and why it is not cancer.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a bile duct hamartoma, also called a von Meyenburg complex.
A von Meyenburg complex is another name for a bile duct hamartoma, a small, noncancerous collection of bile ducts in the liver. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions a von Meyenburg complex.
Inflammatory and other conditions
These diagnoses describe inflammation, fatty change, scarring, and other noncancerous conditions of the liver and bile ducts. The articles explain what each diagnosis means and what a pathologist looks for.
Steatosis means a buildup of fat in the liver. It is a common, noncancerous condition. This article explains what this diagnosis means and what a pathologist looks for.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions steatosis or fatty liver.
Steatohepatitis is a buildup of fat in the liver together with inflammation and cell damage. This article explains what this diagnosis means and what a pathologist looks for.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions steatohepatitis, or fatty liver with inflammation.
Autoimmune hepatitis is inflammation of the liver caused by the immune system attacking liver cells. This article explains what a pathologist sees in autoimmune hepatitis.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions autoimmune hepatitis.
Cirrhosis is severe, long-lasting scarring of the liver. It can be the end result of many different liver conditions. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions cirrhosis or advanced liver scarring (fibrosis).
Primary biliary cholangitis is a long-lasting disease in which the immune system slowly damages the small bile ducts inside the liver. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions primary biliary cholangitis or PBC.
Primary sclerosing cholangitis
Primary sclerosing cholangitis is a long-lasting disease in which the bile ducts become inflamed and scarred. This article explains what this diagnosis means.
You may find this helpful if your report mentions primary sclerosing cholangitis or PSC.
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