A liver biopsy is a procedure to remove a small piece of liver tissue, so it can be examined under a microscope for signs of damage or disease. Your doctor may recommend a liver biopsy if blood tests or imaging studies suggest you might have a liver problem.

Biopsy of Liver via Percutaneous Approach. Proper identification of the biopsy site is of paramount importance. To choose the site, start with percussion over the right upper quadrant. The biopsy site is usually located in the seventh or eighth intercostal space in the midaxillary line.

Laparoscopic biopsy involves inserting a laparoscope, a thin tube with a tiny video camera attached, through a small incision to look inside the body to view the surface of organs. The health care provider will insert a needle through a plastic, tubelike instrument called a cannula to remove the liver tissue sample.

A liver biopsy is one of the most accurate ways the gastroenterologist can diagnose NAFLD. This procedure involves extracting a sample of liver tissue via a needle inserted into the liver. A very simple tool knowns as a FibroScan® helps your gastroenterologist diagnose NAFLD.