The British spelling of hepatization; the process where lung tissue becomes liver-like in appearance and texture, typically during pneumonia or other lung disease.
From hepatize (to make liver-like) + -ation (the process of). The British -isation ending reflects the British preference in medical terminology, while American English uses -ization.
When a doctor says a lung has undergone hepatisation during severe pneumonia, they mean the infected tissue has actually changed its texture to resemble liver tissue—it's one of those medical observations that shows how disease can literally transform organs into something completely different.
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