Place of Needle Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Chronic Diffuse Liver Diseases

Abstract

The article deals with the diagnosis of chronic diffuse liver diseases. A brief review of noninvasive methods of diagnosis of liver fibrosis and percutaneous liver biopsy is given. A comparison has been carried out between the histological changes (activity of inflammation and stage of fibrosis), blood levels of transaminases, noninvasive calculated indices (Forns, AAR, FIB-4, APRI, HALT-C, GUCI) and echographic characteristics of the liver. According to the results of the study it is shown that histological examination of liver biopsy material is the only reliable way to assess the activity and stage of fibrosis in chronic diffuse liver diseases. The most effective and safe method of getting a liver tissue is needle biopsy under continuous US-control with the use, if necessary, dopplerographic methods. In the presence of experienced personnel, necessary equipment, compliance between intervention techniques and measures of preventing complications, percutaneous needle core biopsy should be performed for each patient with chronic diffuse liver diseases for an accurate diagnosis and treatment monitoring.

Keywords

• chronic diffuse liver disease
• fibrosis
• histological examination
• liver biopsy