The process where lung tissue becomes liver-like in appearance and texture, typically occurring during severe pneumonia or other lung diseases.
From hepatize (to make liver-like) + -ation (the process of). This term solidified in medical usage during the 19th century when pathologists carefully documented the microscopic changes that occurred in diseased lungs.
Hepatization was the key observation that helped doctors understand pneumonia—they could see that parts of the lung turned from spongy and air-filled into solid and liver-like, which meant those areas couldn't exchange oxygen anymore, explaining why pneumonia is so dangerous.
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