[Liver biopsy: Which role in patient management?]

The role of liver biopsy in the management of patients with chronic liver disease has much evolved in the recent years. Its importance in diagnosis, staging and prognosis largely depends on the indication and on the context. In chronic viral hepatitis, the role of liver biopsy has been reduced because of the major developments and improvements in the virological diagnosis of viral infection and because of the recent validation of non-invasive tests for fibrosis evaluation which offer alternative strategies for therapeutic decision and follow-up. Liver biopsy remains however useful for the identification of associated diseases and for the detection of some complications. In many other indications, liver biopsy remains the gold standard for the diagnosis and the staging of the disease. Moreover, guided liver biopsy remains essential for the diagnosis of focal liver lesions.