Liquid biopsy for non-invasive assessment of liver injury in hepatitis B patients

Figure 3 Quantitative analysis of serum alanine aminotransferase and plasma DNA of 263 chronic hepatitis B patients to assess hepatocellular injury severity. A: The scatter plot of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and plasma DNA levels of chronic hepatitis B patients with mild-moderate (blue dots) or marked-severe (red dots) inflammation. Most (84.0%) of the patients with high serum ALT levels (> 100.0 U/L) had marked-severe hepatocyte injury, while the other patients with marked-severe hepatocyte injury and low serum ALT levels (≤ 100.0 U/L) can be distinguished from patients with mild-moderate hepatocyte injury by plasma DNA quantification (e.g., Case 85); B: The hematoxylin and eosin stained microscopic image (× 400) of hepatic tissue of the case 85 showed severe piecemeal necrosis (marked portal inflammation) (Grade 3). ALT: alanine aminotransferase.