Liver biopsy

A liver biopsy takes a tiny core of liver tissue with a special needle. A pathologist then studies it under a microscope. It is still the gold standard for staging fibrosis in viral and alcohol-related hepatitis and in fatty liver disease. Doctors also use it when they suspect a tumor. At Oberig Clinic an interventional radiologist does the procedure under ultrasound or CT, and our own pathology center examines the sample.

Who needs it and when you can skip it

A hepatologist or gastroenterologist decides if you need one. A biopsy shows how much scarring and inflammation there is and whether other liver damage is present. It helps choose the treatment and check that it works. For a lump in the liver, it tells what kind of tissue it is. Today some questions can be answered without a needle: liver elastography, FibroTest and FibroMax. So the doctor decides case by case.

The procedure is put off, or the approach changes, if your blood doesn't clot well, there is a lot of fluid in the belly (ascites), a vascular tumor is suspected or the skin at the site is inflamed. In that case the doctor finds another way to get the answer.

How to prepare

• Your doctor orders blood tests, always including clotting.
• Stop blood-thinning drugs 7 days before, but only after you agree it with your doctor.
• Come on an empty stomach on the day. This is strict.
• Bring earlier ultrasound, CT or MRI scans and doctors' reports.

What happens during the biopsy

You lie on your back. The doctor finds a safe spot between the ribs on your right side with ultrasound and numbs the skin. The needle moves under live imaging and avoids blood vessels and bile ducts. The sampling itself takes less than a second. The core is 1-3 cm long and 1-2 mm wide. That's about 1/50,000 of your liver. Ultrasound-guided biopsy succeeds in 98.5-100% of cases. Deep spots are reached with CT guidance.

A fine-needle biopsy takes cells from a lump. A core (trucut) biopsy takes a whole strip of tissue with its structure intact, which suits fibrosis staging. Afterwards you rest under observation for a few hours. Serious complications are rare when the procedure is done well.

How the sample is assessed

The pathologist stages fibrosis on the METAVIR scale, from F0 (no scarring) to F4 (cirrhosis). The Knodell method goes further. It scores several signs of inflammation and damage, and the total gives a histological activity index of up to 18. Your hepatologist draws the final conclusions together with your blood tests and history.

Frequently asked questions

Does it hurt?

You feel the numbing shot. The sampling is a quick push. Your right side or shoulder may ache a little afterwards. It passes.

When will I get the result?

The tissue has to be processed and stained. That takes a few days. Ask about the exact timing when you book.

What can I eat afterwards?

After 2-3 hours, if your doctor agrees, eat something light: porridge, soup, boiled meat, yogurt. No alcohol, fatty or fried food for a few days.

When can I get back to normal life?

Usually the next day. Avoid lifting and sports for a week.

Liver biopsy prices in Kyiv

The cost depends on the complexity category, meaning how deep the spot is and where it sits. The needle kit is paid separately.

Prices are from the clinic price list as of 01.10.2026 and may change. Please check the current cost with our contact center.

Why choose Oberig Clinic for a liver biopsy

• Interventional radiologist Yurii Chyrkov, PhD, top-category doctor, does the procedure. For years he performed about 800 ultrasound- and CT-guided procedures a year.
• Targeted sampling with expert-class ultrasound, and CT guidance for deep spots.
• Our own pathology center. Your sample doesn't travel to an outside lab.
• Hepatologists of our Gastro Center read the result and make a treatment plan straight away. An inpatient ward is there if you need observation.

Address: 3 Zoolohichna St., buildings "G" and "V", Kyiv. Book online at https://my.oberig.ua/ua/appointment/ or call +38 044 521 30 03.