Sampling variability on percutaneous liver biopsy

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Abstract
Sampling variability of liver biopsy was determined in 3 consecutive biopsy specimens obtained from each of 118 patients immediately prior to autopsy. No sampling variability was found for fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, nonspecific hepatitis, fulminant hepatitis, leukemic infiltrate, and venous congestion. Cirrhosis was diagnosed in 80% of cases of the 1st biopsy but in all cases after 3 biopsies. Chronic aggressive and chronic persistent hepatitis were diagnosed correctly in 2 of 3 cases each at the 1st biopsy, and in all cases after 3 biopsies. Metastatic carcinoma was detected in 46% of the cases at the 1st biopsy and in 69% after 3 biopsies. Granulomas were missed once on the 1st biopsy, but found on a subsequent biopsy. The amounts of fat and fibrosis in the biopsy specimens often were not representative of the amounts present at autopsy.