摘要AIM:To study the significance and clinical implication of hepatic lipogranuloma in chronic liver diseases,including fatty liver disease and hepatitis C.METHODS:A total of 376 sequential,archival liver biopsy specimens were reviewed.Lipogranuloma,steatosis and steato-fibrosis were evaluated with combined hematoxylin and eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining.RESULTS:Fifty-eight (15.4%) patients had lipogranuloma,including 46 patients with hepatitis C,14 patients with fatty liver disease,and 5 patients with other diseases.Hepatic lipogranuloma was more frequently seen in patients with hepatitis C (21%) and fatty liver disease (18%),and its incidence was significantly higher than that in control group (P < 0.0002 and P < 0.007,respectively).In addition,39 out of the 58 patients with lipogranuloma were associated with steatosis and/or steato-fibrosis.Of the 18 lipogranuloma patients with clinical information available for review,15 (83%) had risk factors associated with fatty liver disease,such as alcohol use,obesity,hyperlipidemia,and diabetes mellitus.Although the incidence of these risk factors was greater in patients with lipogranuloma than in control group (60%),it did not reach statistical significance.CONCLUSION:Hepatic lipogranuloma is not limited to mineral oil use and commonly associated with hepatic steatosis,hepatitis C and fatty liver disease.With additional histological features of steato-fibrosis,lipogranuloma can also be used as a marker of prior hepatic steatosis.