My question is below

[kaywire]

My liver "specialist" says he'd like me to have a liver biopsy. I was diagnosed with PBC ten years ago and have no symptoms apart from achy bones. I understand there are some risks with this procedure. What is the point of having this from the patient's point of view? I don't want to know what stage of the disease I'm in - apart from helping with this guy's statistics I can't see the point. Comments please!

[Axl888]

Did he say why he wanted you to have the biopsy? When I had mine, it was to confirm diagnosis and check on scarring.

[kaywire]

No, he didn't say why. I thought you could check on scarring by looking at a liver scan - which I am due to have next month. I've had several scans over the years and they don't seem to show anything. Thanks for getting back to me.

[Pandemonium]

I think I've answered this in your other thread! :0) Maybe??? :0)

[mrspiggy]

Hi Kaywire

Have your blood results changed at all?

Mel

[SC49]

PBC - like most liver conditions - is a funny aul illness. The symptoms - or lack of them - aren't always a good predictor of the degree of damage. The bst people to advise you are the medical teams. The liver scan doesnt show damage to the bile ducts - i think because they are so little

A biopsy might be able to show the degree of scarring (if there is any at all). A biopsy can help the medical teams to plan your care. I think your best bet would be to ask the specialist why they think a biopsy is worth doing and then you can decide.