Liver biopsy in a district general hospital: Changes over two decades

Table 2 Liver biopsies between 1986 and 1995

Number of successful liver biopsies	Diagnosis pre-biopsy	History	Abnormal liver tests	Viral serology	Autoimmune /Immunoglobulins	Imaging	Others	Final Diagnosis
6	PBC	Y	Y	N	Y	Normal	n/a	PBC
3	AIH	N	Y	N	Y	Normal	n/a	AIH: 3 (staging)
1	LKM hepatitis	N	Y	N	Y LKM + AMA	Spleen +	n/a	Possible overlap AIH/PBC
3	ALD	Y	Y	N	N	Normal/Spleen +	n/a	ALD: 3 (cirrhosis in 1)
3	Abnormal Liver tests	N	Y	N	N	Echogenic liver	Elevated ferritin	NAFLD (simple steatosis): 3
1	ALD/Iron overload	Y	Y	N	N	Normal	Elevated ferritin	Porphyria cutanea tarda (plasma porphyrin 618, faecal porphyrin +)
1	Iron overload	N	Y	N	N	Normal	Elevated ferritin and homozygous C282Y	Primary haemochromatosis

Total number of biopsies performed: 19; Failed biopsies: 1; Successful biopsies: 18. Y: Present; N: Negative or not present; n/a: Not applicable; PBC: Primary biliary cirrhosis; AIH: Autoimmune hepatitis; ALD: Alcoholic liver disease; NAFLD: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; LKM: Liver, kidney, microsomal antibody; AMA: Anti-mitochondrial antibody.