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Why it's done
By Mayo Clinic staffA liver biopsy may be done to:
- Diagnose a liver problem that can't be otherwise identified
- Obtain a sample of tissue from an abnormality found by an imaging study
- Determine how severe liver disease is — a process called staging
- Help develop treatment plans based on the liver's condition
- Determine how well treatment for liver disease is working
- Monitor the liver after a liver transplant
Usually your doctor performs a liver biopsy only after you've had blood tests to check your liver function and imaging tests, such as ultrasound. Ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of your internal organs and tissues.
Your doctor may recommend a liver biopsy if you have:
- Abnormal liver test results that can't be explained
- A mass (tumor) or other abnormalities on your liver as seen on imaging tests
- Ongoing, unexplained fevers
A liver biopsy also is commonly performed to help diagnose and stage certain liver diseases, including:
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
- Chronic hepatitis B or C
- Autoimmune hepatitis
- Alcoholic liver disease
- Primary biliary cirrhosis
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis
- Hemochromatosis
- Wilson's disease
- Bravo A, et al. Percutaneous liver biopsy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 18, 2009.
- Liver biopsy. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/liverbiopsy/. Accessed Sept. 18, 2009.
- Rockey DC, et al. Liver biopsy (AASLD position paper). Hepatology. 2009;49:1017.
- Sanchez WS, et al. Liver cirrhosis. American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/ patients/ gihealth/ pdf/ livercirrhosis.pdf 44k 08/Jan/2009. Accessed Sept. 18, 2009.
- Liver biopsy. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec03/ch023/ch023d.html. Accessed Sept. 18, 2009.
- Chopra S. Patient information: Liver biopsy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 18, 2009.
- Bravo A, et al. Transjugular, laparoscopic, and fine needle aspiration liver biopsy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 18, 2009.
