When interpreting a liver biopsy, it is important to be familiar with the pathologist’s armamentarium of special stains. In this post, we review the most common histochemical stains used in liver pathology.

Why do patients get liver biopsies? The main goals of a liver biopsy are to (1) render a diagnosis in a patient with abnormal liver function tests (LFTs) or a liver lesion on imaging, (2) provide staging and grading in a patient with a history of chronic hepatitis, (3) assess the liver’s response to treatment, and (4) assess the function of a liver transplant.

The outer surface of the liver is composed of a fibrous / connective tissue capsule (Figure 1). The outermost surface is covered by a thin layer of mesothelial cells that arises from the peritoneum (Figure 2).