Chronic Hepatitis B with Minimal Activity and no Fibrosis

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(Grade 1, Stage 0), Needle liver biopsy specimen.
A 40 year old Italian man underwent a needle liver biopsy to assess the grade of activity and stage of disease of his known chronic hepatitis B infection. There was no known history of intravenous drug use, but sexual acquisition ofHBVinfection was suspected. His serum liver tests showed mild aminotransferase elevations ofAST(aspartate aminotransferase) = 67 U/L (normal < 40) andALT(alanine aminotransferase) = 79 U/L (normal < 40). All other liver tests were normal.

Questions

  1. In this needle biopsy core, is the architecturePRESERVED--DISTURBED--orDISTORTED(i.e., cirrhotic or with extensive bridging fibrosis)?
  2. Is there a diagnostic lesion present which indicates that the patient has chronic hepatitis B?
  3. What possible future sequelae might be seen in other liver biopsies from this patient?
  4. What is the purpose of obtaining a liver biopsy from this man?

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