Liver biopsy before treatment?

[Brucifer]

I've had two liver biopsy's 10 years apart and both were the same (score 1), My last was about 5 years ago, Now that there is better treatments I'm considering treating, I was wondering if a liver biopsy was mandatory before treating?, I really don't want to go through that again!, Is there a non invasive option? 

[BillT]

Hi Brucifer,
               Most of the time they'll just do a scan, Fibroscan and such.Things have changed a lot in 5 years so(And I'm not a doctor)there shouldn't be a need for one.

[yag1064]

Hi Brucifer,
    Welcome to the forum. I don't think it is needed with that low of a score. Also here is an article from Liver.ca

Do liver biopsies ever need to be repeated?

In most circumstances, a liver biopsy is only performed once to confirm a suspected diagnosis of chronic liver disease. Occasionally, liver biopsy is repeated if the clinical condition changes or to assess the results of medical therapy, such as drug treatment of chronic viral hepatitis or autoimmune hepatitis. Patients who have undergone liver transplantation often require numerous liver biopsies in the early weeks to months following the surgery to allow accurate diagnosis of whether the new liver is being rejected or whether other problems have developed.
   I only had one and was treated several times. The non invasive data is getting better. Fibro-scan ultrasound is used non invasive.

  Fare well on journey to get cured. Keep us informed...

[Lynn K]

Over my years of having hep c I had a liver biopsy every 5 years I went from F1 to F2 to F3 to finally F4 in Jan 2008. My doctor has a fibroscan so I did that in case my insurance required me to confirm my cirrhosis diagnosis.

Unless you insurance needs to see you have advanced liver disease in order to approve your prescription I would not think you would need a biopsy or even a fibroscan if your doctor has access to a machine. Many insurance companies were denying treatment unless the patient had F3 of F4 fibrosis but I have heard they have loosened those requirements.

Best of luck to you
Lynn

[Coach Mike]

My GI at the UAMS Liver Clinic uses the Fibrosure blood test. It matched closely with my biopsy results from the prior year.
cm