Histochemical and chemical liver iron and iron status markers (serum (S-) ferritin, transferrin saturation) were determined in 109 patients with various types of liver disease (71 alcoholic, 38 non-alcoholic disease) and 8 normal subjects. In the series as a whole there was a significant correlation between histochemical hepatocyte iron and chemical iron (rho= 0.48, p= 0.0001). Of the iron status markers, only S-ferritin showed clinically significant correlations with histochemical liver iron (rho= 0.54, p= 0.0001) and chemical liver iron (r= 0.45, p= 0.0001)(log vs. log values). The highest correlation was found between S-ferritin and the product of chemical iron x ASAT (r= 0.61, p= 0.0001)(log vs. log values). None of the normal livers had stainable hepatocyte iron; median chemical iron content was 15 mumol/g dry weight (range 8-25). The entire group of alcoholics had a median liver iron content of 21 mumol/g; all patients had a hepatic iron index (hepatic iron/age) of under 1.4. In alcoholic liver disease, median chemical liver iron content was 15 mumol/g (range 3-36) in 35 subjects with grade 0 hepatocyte iron; 24 mumol/g (range 6-90) in 25 subjects with grade 1+ 2 hepatocyte iron; 30 mumol/g (range 14-74) in 11 subjects with grade 3+ 4 hepatocyte iron. Among subjects with alcoholic liver disease and normal liver iron (< 26 mumol/g), 39% had stainable hepatocyte iron vs. 70% in subjects with increased liver iron (> or= 26 mumol/g). The corresponding figures in subjects with non-alcoholic liver disease were 13% and 20%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)