Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Liver Biopsy: Diagnostic Value in Diffuse Liver Disease and Viral Hepatitis

Abstract

In this study, it is aimed to present the efficiency, diagnostic contribution, complications, and histopathology results of percutaneous liver biopsies performed under ultrasonography (US) guidance. For this purpose, 266 patients who underwent diffuse liver biopsy in our interventional radiology unit between January 1, 2016 and March 31, 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic characteristics, laboratory records, and pathology results of the patients were recorded. Major and minor complications, diagnosis rate, biopsy indications were evaluated. 152 (57.1%) of the 266 patients included in the study were male and 114 (42.9%) were female, and the mean age of the patients was 34.4±12.2 years (min-max: 18-69). According to biopsy results, the most common pathological finding was chronic hepatitis B (n=249, 93.6%), followed by chronic hepatitis C (n=6, 2.3%). Minor complications occurred in 9.4% (n=25) of all patients, and the most common complication was pain at the biopsy site or right shoulder (n=22, 8.3%). No major complications or mortality were observed. According to the fibrosis score, 77.4% (n=206) of the cases were mild fibrosis, 18% (n=48) had moderate fibrosis, and 3.8% had severe fibrosis (n=10). In two (0.75%) patients, fibrosis scoring was not performed because the sample was insufficient. In conclusion, we suggest that percutaneous tru-cut liver biopsies performed under US guidance by experienced interventional radiologists are effective and safe. Also, this invasive procedure, which plays an important role especially in the diagnosis, staging and treatment plan of the diffuse liver diseases can be performed with very low complication and high accuracy rates by using correct and appropriate technique.