After a doctor sees a liver lesion in a CT scan or ultrasound, is there a way to know for sure what it is? Of course, there is, and it is a procedure known as a liver biopsy. It was practiced by Paul Ehrlich in 1883 and then improved by Menghini in the decade of 1950s when it started to be used by specialists all over the world. It is currently a widespread procedure practiced by a specialist in hepatology and gastroenterology, and there are different approaches and techniques.
What is a biopsy?
A biopsy is basically taking a sample of a specimen of a given organ and taking it to the microscope. After carefully evaluating the cells and their characteristics, it is possible to diagnose different types of diseases.
In the case of a liver biopsy, it is possible to tell when a lesion is made up of cancer cells or a benign tumor. It is also helpful to evaluate the progression of cirrhosis and other liver diseases.