Liver Biopsy in Hodgkin's Disease

Liver biopsy sections of 127 patients (89 without previous therapy) were classified for the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells and other cellular infiltrates and abnormalities. These histologic findings were then correlated with the clinical and laboratory findings in each patient. In seven of eight biopsies with atypical reticulum cell infiltrates, Reed-Sternberg cells could be found if sufficient sections were examined. All other cell infiltrates and pathologic changes showed no correlation with Reed-Sternberg cells or clinical findings. The frequency of positive biopsies was approximately doubled by performing laparotomy or peritoneoscopy after a percutaneous biopsy was negative. Clinical examination of the liver and liver function tests, including alkaline phosphatase and sulfobromophthalein, were of little value in predicting positive findings; abnormalities in these tests may be indicators of a nonspecific hepatic reaction to the presence of Hodgkin's disease elsewhere in the patient. However, patients with splenomegaly had a high risk of liver involvement.