title: Percutaneous liver biopsy in difficult cases simplified by CT or ultrasonic localization.
abstract: Repeat liver biopsy guided by CT and ultrasound was performed in ten prospectively selected patients with chronic liver disease, small liver size, and a previous unsuccessful biopsy. Biopsy sites selected by both radiographic techniques were essentially similar and within 1 cm of each other. The bulk of the liver was located more posteriorly and superiorly than expected, explaining the failure of the previous unsuccessful biopsies. Adequate cores of liver 1-2.5 cm in length were easily obtained with radiologic guidance. This technique is especially useful in patients with chronic active hepatitis complicated by cirrhosis.
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography