Ultrasound-guided liver biopsy in birds

In this study, 30 pigeons (Columba livia forma domestica) and 30 quails (Coturnix coturnix) were used to evaluate the diagnostic practicability and relevance of an ultrasound-conducted liver biopsy. Their body weight ranged between 144 and 603g. Considering anatomical peculiarities, the lateral (pigeons) or ventro-median (quails) access was chosen. In the case of the pigeons, 29 (96.7%) biopsies proved clearly to be liver tissue, while in the case of the smaller quails, 19 (63.3%) samples could be clearly identified as liver tissue. All animals but one quail survived the intervention. The blood chemical parameters varied before and after the biopsy within the physiological range. These results show that ultrasound-guided liver biopsy in avian patients is generally possible and with strict indication and conscientious application can be considered as a relatively risk free and diagnostically sensible addition to liver diagnostic in birds. An aimed collection of focal hepatic alterations is conceivable depending on the size of the patient.