Hereditary hemochromatosis of a young girl: detection of early iron deposition in liver cell lysosomes using transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy.

A 14-year-old girl demonstrated increased iron concentration and transferrin saturation, suggesting iron overload of unknown origin. Liver biopsy showed no fibrosis or hepatocytic atrophia. Nevertheless, Prussian blue reaction for histochemical detection of iron demonstrated very weak positive granules in a few hepatocytes on the periphery of hepatic lobules in close connection to bile capillaries.