[Ultrasonically guided Biopty-biopsy of focal liver processes]

During a period of three years, 51 patients with focal hepatic changes were submitted to 55 ultrasonically guided Biopty-biopsies. Histological diagnoses could be established in 45 patients at the first biopsy which corresponds to a diagnostic certainty of 88.2% Histological diagnoses were established in 49 patients which corresponds to a certainty of 96%. The frequency of complications was 3.9%. Biopty-biopsy is recommended as a good method because it is easy to carry out and provides just as good results as other methods of biopsy. In addition, it can provide more histological information than aspiration biopsies which are, however, somewhat cheaper.