Human Liver Lipids: Representativity of Determinations on Material Obtained by Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy

Abstract

Triglycerides and phospholipids in human liver material obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsy have been determined according to an improved version of a previously developed method. The molar ratios of these lipids have been compared with the same ratios determined on material representing whole liver. The average value of the ratios in the fine-needle specimens was 101% (83–113%) of the corresponding whole-liver value. The variation coefficient of determinations on several fine-needle specimens from the same liver was 10% (4–17%). The least difference, between the ratiosof two consecutive fine-needle specimens, to ensure a significant difference was 30%.

Key Words:

• Aspiration
• biopsy
• human
• liver
• ratio TG/PL
• representativity