Liver cirrhosis can be due to various causes, including alcohol abuse and viral hepatitis B. Two of the most frequent hereditary metabolic diseases are also indicated: hemochromatosis with pathological iron accumulation and Wilson's Disease with pathological copper accumulation. In order to distinguish them, the Institute of Pathology of the University of Rostock uses energy-filtering transmission electron microscopes for investigation of tissue sections. Thanks to the energy filter and software by Olympus Soft Imaging Solutions for digital image acquisition and image processing, elemental maps and energy loss spectra can be generated. These make it possible to obtain diagnoses quickly, even in early stages of the disease, and begin appropriate treatment early.