What is "peliosis hepatis"

n. An uncommon vascular condition characterised by randomly distributed blood-filled cavity throughout the liver.

Peliosis hepatis is an uncommon vascular condition characterised by multiple randomly distributed blood-filled cavities throughout the liver. The size of the cavities usually ranges between a few millimetres to 3 cm in diameter. In the past it was a mere histological curiosity occasionally found at autopsies but has been increasingly recognised with wide ranging conditions from AIDS to the use of anabolic steroids. It also occasionally affects spleen, lymph nodes, lungs, kidneys, adrenal glands, bone marrow and other parts of gastrointestinal tract.

Peliosis hepatis is often erroneously written "peliosis hepatitis", despite its not being one of the hepatitides. The correct term arises from the Greek pelios, i.e. discoloured by extravasated blood, livid, and the Latinized genitive case (hepatis) of the Greek hepar, liver.