Replies to post #247146 on Biotech Values

[Mufaso]

Here is a link referencing a study done to assess the importance of specimen size in hepatitis that supports what you suggested. (There is also some discussion of fibrosis in the article.)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4793951/

Here are some quotes:

Results:
The length of fragment was less than 10 mm in 43 cases (9.3%), between 10 and 14 mm in 114 (24.3%), and ≥ 15 mm in 311 (64.4%); of these, in 39 (8.3%) cases were ≥ 20 mm. The mean representation of portal tracts was 17.6 ± 2.1 (5-40); in specimens ≥ 15 mm the mean portal tract was 13.5 ± 4.7 and in cases ≤ 15 mm was 11.4 ± 5.0 (p = 0.002). Cases with less than 11 portal tracts were associated with F3, and cases with 11 or more portal tracts with F2 (p = 0.001).

Conclusion:
this study demonstrated the good quality of liver biopsy and a relationship between the macroscopic size of the fragment and the number of portal tracts.

DISCUSSION
Liver biopsy is a diagnostic method widely used for staging of chronic hepatitis, despite the rising of noninvasive methods. However, one of its limitations is sampling variability. In order to minimize sampling error, biopsy needs to be representative of the whole liver7.

The size considered ideal for histological analysis is under debate in the literature22. Some studies suggest that a biopsy of 10-15 mm in length, with 4-6 PT is sufficient for staging of chronic hepatitis17 , 18 , 23 whereas, other authors suggest a minimum size of 20 to 25 mm and at least 11 PT9 , 16.