Liver cirrhosis is developed from fibrosis. Although, fibrosis and cirrhosis are not exactly the same, they are closely related.

At the fibrosis stages, the amount of collagen deposits in the liver increases and the ratio of fibro-connective tissue verses liver cellular tissue increases. But at this stage, the liver lobular structures are intact. There is no pseudo-lobule formation.

Cirrhosis consists of two pathological features: fibro-connective tissue hypertrophy and pseudo-lobule formation. At the cirrhosis stage, the liver's fundamental structure is compromised and deformed, and the framework of the liver begins collapse. Thus, reversal is much more difficult.

Right now a liver biopsy is the most accurate way to diagnose the fibrosis stages. Some blood chemical measurements can also provide a referential diagnostic marker of fibrosis. The chemical markers that can be used to assess the fibrostic activities are: HA (hyaluronic acid), LN (Laminin), CIV(collagen IV), PCIII (procollagen type III) etc. They can show the activities of fibrosis, but can't classify stages of fibrosis.

There are newly developed types of blood tests such as Fibrotest used to assess liver fibrosis activity. However, the accuracy has not quite matched the traditional liver biopsy as of yet.

Patients should also understand that 80% to 85% of chronic hepatitis cases will not lead to cirrhosis. Only a very small percentage does and it happens usually without proper treatment, allowing fibrosis to go on for years.

The body has amazing healing capabilities of its own and the liver is one of the most “re-generable” organs in the body. Because fibrosis is the result of the inflammation, halting or reversing fibrosis by controlling inflammation is the key.