Liver biopsy in fever of unknown origin

Liver needle biopsies were carried out in 188 patients with fever. Among these patients, 52 were selected fulfilling the criteria of unknown origin. The etiology for the fever was established by the liver biopsy in 14 of these 52 patients (26.9 p. 100), and useful information was obtained in 7 other cases (13.5 p. 100). In the other 31 patients (59.6 p. 100) liver biopsy was of no diagnostic value, and in spite of multiple investigations (including laparotomy in 8 cases) the final diagnosis could be established in only 4 of these cases. Liver needle biopsy is therefore a useful method of diagnosis in patients with fever of unknown origin, and when diagnosis cannot be established by this procedure the origin of the fever usually remains obscure.