Liver Biopsy

Biopsy, Liver

Why It Is Done

A liver biopsy may be done to:

• Find the cause of jaundice. A liver biopsy can find certain liver diseases (such as cirrhosis), infections (such as hepatitis), and liver tumors.
• Find the cause of abnormal blood test results from aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) tests. Both ALT and AST levels show liver damage and can help confirm liver disease.
• See how much the liver is inflamed or scarred by hepatitis or other liver diseases.
• See whether other liver conditions, such as hemochromatosis and Wilson's disease, are present.
• Check the response to treatment for liver disease.
• Measure whether a medicine, such as methotrexate, is causing a toxic effect on the liver.
• Check the function of a transplanted liver.
• Find the cause of an unexplained and ongoing fever.
• Check a liver mass found on an X-ray, ultrasound, or CT scan.

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Author:	Monica Rhodes	Last Updated: August 14, 2008
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine C. Dale Mercer, MD, FRCSC, FACS - General Surgery
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