Contraindications to a percutaneous liver biopsy

Absolute	Relative
Inability of patient to cooperate with procedure	Morbid obesity
Significant coagulopathy or thrombocytopenia (unless corrected prior to the liver biopsy)	Ascites
	Hemophilia
NSAID use (including aspirin) within last 7 to 10 days	Infection within the right pleural cavity
Patient refusal to accept blood transfusion or inability to provide blood transfusion support	Infection below right hemidiaphragm
Suspected hemangioma, vascular tumor, or echinococcal cyst	Amyloidosis
Inability to identify an adequate biopsy site by percussion and/or ultrasound
Extrahepatic biliary obstruction

Adapted from: Bravo AA, Sheth SG, Chopra S. Liver biopsy. N Engl J Med 2001; 344:495.

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