# Hepatic iron assessment using pinch liver biopsies in Asian glossy starlings (Aplonis panayensis)

## TL;DR

This study validates the use of pinch liver biopsies to assess iron levels in Asian glossy starlings, showing strong correlations with whole liver measurements.

## Contribution

The study introduces pinch liver biopsies as a reliable method for antemortem hepatic iron assessment in Asian glossy starlings.

## Key findings

- Pinch biopsies showed a mean iron-stained area of 71.47%, significantly higher than whole liver sections.
- Strong positive correlations were found between iron concentration and iron-stained areas in both biopsies and whole sections.
- Hepatic iron levels correlated with other clinical and pathological features in AGS.

## Abstract

Hepatic hemosiderosis is a common nutritional disease affecting numerous bird species. The aim of this study was to validate the use of pinch hepatic biopsies to quantify the hepatic iron in Asian glossy starlings (AGS) and compare clinical measures usable for antemortem disease monitoring. Following euthanasia, serum, liver pinch biopsies, and whole liver sections were sampled from 21 AGS. Liver biopsies and sections were stained with Perl’s Prussian blue, and the area containing iron pigment was calculated by image analysis. The mean percent iron-stained area per whole hepatic section was 62.52% ± 21.81%, while the mean percent iron-stained area in biopsies was 71.47% ± 19.77%. Positive correlations were found between hepatic iron concentration and percentage iron in whole sections (r = 0.92; P < .0001), percentage iron in biopsies (r = 0.91; P < .0001), and other clinico-pathological features. Hemosiderin in hepatic biopsies was significantly higher than in whole hepatic section assessed by image analysis (P < .0001).