title: Ultrasound-guided liver biopsy in real life: comparison of same-day prebiopsy versus real-time ultrasound approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Currently, an increasing number of liver biopsies are performed by radiologists under real-time ultrasound control. A routine ultrasound assessment of a puncture site before performing percutaneous biopsy is reported to increase diagnostic yield and decrease complication rates. It is not clear if real-time ultrasound is superior to marking the puncture site before biopsy as regards reducing biopsy size and avoiding fragmentation and complications. The aim of this study was to compare ultrasound assessment of the puncture site before performing percutaneous liver biopsy with real-time ultrasound liver biopsy for suspected diffuse liver disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive percutaneous liver biopsies (n = 631) for diffuse liver disease were evaluated. Group A consisted of patients who had real-time guided-ultrasound biopsy performed by radiologists (241 patients; M/F, 35/106; median age 48 year [range, 17-76]; needle 18 G). Group B patients were assessed by radiologists using ultrasound of the puncture site on the same day that biopsies were performed by experienced gastroenterologists/hepatologists on the ward using the marked site (390 patients; M/F, 276/114; median age 43 year [range, 15-75]; needle 16 G).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences in severity of liver disease, establishing a diagnosis (OR, 1.92 [95% CI, 0.84-4.34]; P = 0.12), length of liver biopsy specimens, number of fragments or complications. Two independent variables were significantly associated with a histological diagnosis: longer biopsy length (P < 0001) and fragment number of two or less (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Real-time ultrasound did not improve diagnostic yield or result in fewer complications. Marking the puncture site seems adequate and has the practical advantage that it takes up less of the radiologists' time.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Polykliniki General Hospital, Athens, Greece. spilios1@otenet.gr
authors.forename: Spilios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manolakopoulos
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Triantos
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bethanis
authors.forename: Jiannis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Theodoropoulos
authors.forename: Jiannis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vlachogiannakos
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cholongitas
authors.forename: Markos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sideridis
authors.forename: Calipso
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barbatis
authors.forename: Ploutarchos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piperopoulos
authors.forename: Charis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spiliadi
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papadimitriou
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roukounakis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tzourmakliotis
authors.forename: Alec
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avgerinos
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burroughs
mesh_terms: D001663:Bilirubin / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D003404:Creatinine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D010976:Platelet Count; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D012016:Reference Values; D012449:Safety; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin; D003404:Creatinine; D001663:Bilirubin