The variation of pathological changes in the liver evaluated by double biopsies

In two simultaneously-taken needle biopsies of the liver from 70 consecutive patients, a number of changes were evaluated semiquantitatively and compared in n x m tables. The lesions examined were steatosis, Mallory's hyalin, alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis and cholestasis; furthermore the size, amount of inflammatory cells, connective tissue and bile-duct proliferation of the portal tracts and finally focal necroses and acidophilic bodies in the lobules were recorded. Cirrhosis, cholestasis and steatosis showed a high correlation, while the agreement between the two interdependent biopsies, especially concerning acidophilic bodies and bile-duct proliferation, was low. Possible reasons for the variation in the agreement of the lesions are discussed.