title: Non-viral-related pathologic findings in liver needle biopsy specimens from patients with chronic viral hepatitis.
abstract: Liver biopsy is a vital part of chronic viral hepatitis management. Pathologists should view these biopsies as screening tools for other liver diseases. We describe our experience in a 6-year period and discuss the pathologist's role. Liver biopsies of 1,842 patients with hepatitis B or C, for the 2001-2007 period at the University Health Network, Toronto, Canada, were reviewed; 410 other diagnoses were documented in 377 patients (20.5%; mean age, 25.4 years; range, 15-80 years). These diagnoses included 58 hepatocellular carcinomas and 16 dysplastic nodules, which are recognized complications of chronic viral hepatitis. The remaining findings included the following: steatosis/steatohepatitis, 251; hemosiderosis, 62; granulomatous disease, 7; drug-induced hepatitis, 4; primary biliary cirrhosis, 3; Wilson disease, 2; metastases, 2; and cholangiocarcinoma, atypical lymphoid proliferation, alpha(1)-antitrypsin deficiency, cystic fibrosis, and schistosomiasis, 1 each. Liver biopsies in patients with viral hepatitis revealed other processes with the potential to modify disease progression and/or the management strategy in 20.5% of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Vidhya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: Sandra Elisabeth
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Oyedele Adewale
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Adeyi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D020518:Focal Nodular Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D006486:Hemosiderosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000473:pathology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult