The efficacy of percutaneous liver biopsy in the initial staging of patients with lymphoma.

To evaluate the usefulness of percutaneous needle liver biopsy in the initial staging of lymphoma patients, 115 patients presenting to M. D. Anderson Hospital between Sept 1, 1972, and Aug 31, 1975, and having either percutaneous (45) or celiotomy (70) liver biopsy were identified. Sixty-six patients had Hodgkin's disease, 49 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Overall, results of 13 biopsies were positive--six by percutaneous biopsy, seven by celiotomy. Results showed little difference in yield between percutaneous and celiotomy biopsy. Positivity increased with increasing clinical stage, increasing age (Hodgkin's patients), and increasing number of abnormal liver function tests. It is concluded that percutaneous liver biopsy is useful in lymphoma staging, especially in patients with at least one abnormal liver function test, and in patients with Hodgkin's disease, mixed cell type. The early identification of otherwise unrecognized stage IV disease can spare many patients the morbidity of staging celiotomy.