George Behrens1, Hector Ferral, Deborah Giusto, Jay Patel, David H Van Thiel. 1. Section of Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, 1653 W Congress Parkway, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. george_behrens@rush.edu
Abstract
PURPOSE: To compare the adequacy of transjugular liver biopsy (TJLB) specimens with use of the 18-gauge Quick-Core and Flexcore needles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of 233 patients who underwent a TJLB procedure from January 2005 to December 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. Tissue samples from a total of 194 procedures were available for review; 117 TJLB procedures were performed with a Quick-Core needle and 77 were performed with a Flexcore needle. A single pathologist reviewed all the liver biopsy specimens in a blinded fashion. The χ(2), Fisher exact, and Student t tests were used to analyze differences between groups. RESULTS: The TJLB procedure was technically successful in 232 of 233 cases (99.6%). Histologic diagnosis was possible in 96% of cases. Sample fragmentation rates were 24.9% with the Quick-Core needle and 14.3% with the Flexcore needle (P = .1). The mean numbers of complete portal tracts (CPTs) per submitted tissue per procedure were 10.0 ± 4.6 for the Quick-Core needle and 12.2 ± 6.1 for the Flexcore needle (P = .003). The mean numbers of CPTs per liver sample were 2.63 ± 1.8 for the Quick-Core needle and 3.28 ± 3.3 for the Flexcore needle (P = .00004). Complications were more common in patients with multiple comorbidities such as renal failure and coagulopathy and those who had received a liver transplant. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the 18-gauge Flexcore TJLB system provided better liver biopsy specimens compared with the 18-gauge Quick-Core needle system.
PURPOSE: To compare the adequacy of transjugular liver biopsy (TJLB) specimens with use of the 18-gauge Quick-Core and Flexcore needles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of 233 patients who underwent a TJLB procedure from January 2005 to December 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. Tissue samples from a total of 194 procedures were available for review; 117 TJLB procedures were performed with a Quick-Core needle and 77 were performed with a Flexcore needle. A single pathologist reviewed all the liver biopsy specimens in a blinded fashion. The χ(2), Fisher exact, and Student t tests were used to analyze differences between groups. RESULTS: The TJLB procedure was technically successful in 232 of 233 cases (99.6%). Histologic diagnosis was possible in 96% of cases. Sample fragmentation rates were 24.9% with the Quick-Core needle and 14.3% with the Flexcore needle (P = .1). The mean numbers of complete portal tracts (CPTs) per submitted tissue per procedure were 10.0 ± 4.6 for the Quick-Core needle and 12.2 ± 6.1 for the Flexcore needle (P = .003). The mean numbers of CPTs per liver sample were 2.63 ± 1.8 for the Quick-Core needle and 3.28 ± 3.3 for the Flexcore needle (P = .00004). Complications were more common in patients with multiple comorbidities such as renal failure and coagulopathy and those who had received a liver transplant. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the 18-gauge Flexcore TJLB system provided better liver biopsy specimens compared with the 18-gauge Quick-Core needle system.
Authors: Raj Vuppalanchi; Mohammad S Siddiqui; Mark L Van Natta; Erin Hallinan; Danielle Brandman; Kris Kowdley; Brent A Neuschwander-Tetri; Rohit Loomba; Srinivas Dasarathy; Manal Abdelmalek; Edward Doo; James A Tonascia; David E Kleiner; Arun J Sanyal; Naga Chalasani Journal: Hepatology Date: 2017-11-29 Impact factor: 17.425