Comparison of image-guided nonfocal hepatic biopsies performed by physicians and nurse midlevel providers

Image-guided hepatic biopsies have been performed safely and accurately for a number of years. The advantages of sonographic or CT guidance in avoiding major vital structures, such as large vessels, the gallbladder, or pleura, have been confirmed many times. However, the safety and accuracy of certified nurse practitioners' performing these biopsies have not been described. The authors describe a retrospective review of 418 image-guided hepatic biopsies that demonstrated no significant difference in accuracy or complication rates between biopsies performed by certified nurse practitioners and those performed by radiologists in a single-institution, multihospital academic setting. Appropriately trained advanced practice providers can perform image-guided hepatic biopsies safely and accurately.