Questions in the Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum have been answered by Dr. Kevin Pho who is board certified in Internal Medicine and by doctors from Henry Ford Health System.

Question Title: Wilsons Disease Liver Biopsy

Forum: The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum
Topic: Liver - General


My doctor thinks I have Wilsons Disease (all the bloodwork has come back with high copper levels).
They are trying to schedule me for a CAT-scan guided liver biopsy but I have questions.

Do radiologists usually perform this procedure? I thought my gasterenterologist would do it.

If I am allergic to IVP dye, will the CAT-scan dye bother me?

If my doctor prefers to use one hospital because he trusts the pathologist more, should I pay the extra
non-participating hospital fee (you know insurance companies!)

I have had two MRIs and I was so claustrophic, they practically had to tie me down. Will a CAT-scan work for me?

Thanks for answering these questions promptly.

______
Dear Trish,
1) Radiologists do liver biopsies if the doctor is trying to biopsy a specific site. If you are investigating a disease that should involve the entire liver (such as Wilson disease), the gastroenterologist does the biopsy because it does not matter where the liver tissue is from. In some people, the liver is small and the physician will have the radiologist mark the best site for biopsy.
2) If you are allergic to IVP dye, there is a good probability that you will have problems with the CAT scan dye,
3) The pathologist is crucial for the interpretation of the biopsy.
4) Ask the doctor about the feasbility of having an ultrasound-directed biopsy instaed ob by CAT scan.

This information is presented for educational purposes. Ask specific questions to your personal physician.

HFHSM.D.-rf
*keywords: Wilson's disease, liver biopsy
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