Help with reading biopsy report!!

[EyesofBlue55]

Please can someone help me to interpret this report.I have just come home from vacation and havent been thinking about this stuff and first thing when opening mail got this;I would like to know what all these things are

The biopsy shows a mild patchy chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate within the portal tracts.There is mild focal interface activity.Occasional apoptotic hepatocytes are noted within the lobules and there is an aggregate of chronic inflammatory cells here also.There is no steatosis.Bile ducts are present and unremarkable.Kupffer cells contain iron.The trichrome strain is somewhat heavy and I am not convinced there is FibrosisThe morphologic findings are consistent with HCV infection.

On the Scheuer staging I am  Grade 2 Stage 0

I go to dr tomorrow and Im sure he will explain this but I dont think he will go into detail  Thx cindy

[EyesofBlue55]

My recent labs were;

March   ALT-26      Bilirubin total  1.3
            AST-21
            Viral Load 10,527,000

April      ALT-20      Bilirubin total 1.8 (HIGH)
             AST-20

June    ALT-19        Bilirubin total 1.6(HIGH)
           AST-18
           Viral load 8,433,990

Im not trying to beat up my GP  .Its just that hes been with the family for quite some years and he is getting up in age.He tells me one thing then does another and I have found that he is getting forgetful about things.I love him to death as a person but dont think hes up on alot of things.
I went to se my hep dr today.Have started another post on that cindy

[frijole]

I believe that spectda has read your numbers correctly but that banarep has not.  I don't think you have piecemeal necrosis at all (necrosis means cell death).

Grade 2 indicates more than just a little inflammation.  The first area of inflammation is the portal tracts (where the blood vessels come in) and then it spreads outward in the lobules.  You have some spreading to the lobules.  However, no scarring (fibrosis).  That is good news and the reason for this is not known.  I think it may mean you have a good immune system than has been able to deal with the inflammation before it has done any damage (fibrosis) to the liver tissue.

Don't beat up your GP.  This is not a standard test.  If you have always had normal liver enzymes, your doctor would have no reason to suspect that you have chronic hepatitis.  If you know what they are (ALT & AST) please post them.  There are been some new tests which can test for hepatitis without the bloodwork having to be shipped to a lab, but I am not sure they have FDA approval yet.  Hopefully soon.

As for time, it does not matter.  You could have been infected for 30 years and still have no damage.  Again, hooray for your own genetic makeup.  


frijole

[RobertBeWell]

".I did get a tattoo about 8 years ago.I would think if I got it from snorting days that I would have more damage to my liver so Im thinking maybe the Tatoo?? "

It's entirely possible to have the virus for 40 years and more with little or no damage whatsoever. According to my hepatologist, some 25-30% of chronic HCV patients never experience any liver damage.

My thoughts were the same as yours. I SUSPECT I contracted this about 35 years ago. I just had a biopsy, and my liver damage is pretty minimal, so I'm thinking "Hmm.. maybe I DIDN'T have this that long after all." So, I called her, and that's what she told me - 25-30% no damage.

Count your blessings ;)

[EyesofBlue55]

You know its kinda funny...Ive been telling my GP and my gastro dr for about 2 years that ive been tired all the time and complaining of back pain.He sent me to a kidney dr and they did a ct and found more kidney stones(ive had surgery to remove several on several times)Anyway that ct came back abnormal for a cyst on my ovary so he sent me to my OB.Did have a cyst and dissolved on its own now but I told my ob that I was tired all the time and she ran the tests.Ill never forget the day I went back for results and I had 2 go into her office.I knew it was bad,She said I had the antibodies.I cried.It blew me away.After I left her office I went straight to my gastro with NO appointment and she ran the other tests and concluded I was positive for HCV.Ive had the same gp for 22 years and I believe he should have found this.I am going to find another gp .Sometimes I feel like all they want is your money(he tolld me it was PROBABLY old age kickin in LOL.

Now I dont know how long Ive had it.Ive never shared needles for drugs.I did snort a little in my early 20's(Im 55).I did get a tattoo about 8 years ago.I would think if I got it from snorting days that I would have more damage to my liver so Im thinking maybe the Tatoo??
Ive also heard you can get it from nail salons,dentists,and drs so I dont know.
Now the Hepatologist that Im going to use is Director for the Liver Center here at Emory University here in Atlanta.I feel like Im going to be in good hands now.I go to see him tomorrow morning and see whats next.He said something to me about getting me into a trial that is supposed 2 be starting here in September.Will know more tomorrow.I posted his credentials last night.Take a look and see what you think?
And how is your treatment coming along?????Gosh Im just sooo scared of the sx.and maybe not being able to function for awhile.Heck I dont like taking an aspirin for a headache !!!!!!!

[spectda]

It means that you are stage 0 (you have no fibrosis which is scarring of you liver), you are grade 2 (you liver is mildly inflamed), and you don't have steatosis which is fatty deposits in your liver (this is a good).

This is a very good result. Do you know how long you have had hep c?

- Dave

[banarep]

Grade 2 Mild piecemeal necrosis

Stage O  No Fibrosis

Overall not too bad.