CT-guided liver biopsies: eight years' experience. Work in progress.

In the past eight years 180 patients with liver abnormalities demonstrated on computed tomography (CT) underwent CT-guided biopsies with 22-guage Madayag, 14-gauge Travenol, or 18-gauge Menghini needles used singly or in combination. Cytologic and pathologic results were tabulated and correlated with the subsequent surgical or autopsy findings and with clinical follow-up ranging from three months to three years. Complications of the procedures were also recorded. It is concluded that cutting needle biopsies provide a higher yield of diagnostic tissue compared with aspiration biopsies (89.9% versus 65%) without a significant increase in complications (1.44% versus 0.83%). The techniques utilized, risk of complications, and the indications for biopsy are discussed.