FibroScan / Elastography
What is Fibroscan?
A FibroScan is a non-invasive diagnostic test used to assess the health of the liver by measuring liver stiffness and fat content. It is often used to detect and evaluate liver diseases such as fibrosis (scarring) and steatosis (fatty liver disease).
At Universal Advanced Diagnostic, we offer FibroScan, a state-of-the-art, non-invasive diagnostic tool that provides valuable insights into liver health. FibroScan is an innovative procedure that uses transient elastography technology to assess liver stiffness and fat content quickly and painlessly.
- Liver Stiffness: This measurement helps determine the extent of fibrosis or scarring in the liver, which can result from conditions like chronic hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), or cirrhosis.
- Liver Fat Content: FibroScan also measures the amount of fat in the liver, which is crucial in diagnosing and managing conditions like fatty liver disease.
What is it used for?
Liver elastography is used to check for liver fibrosis (scarring). It may be used instead of a liver biopsy, which involves removing a piece of liver tissue for testing.
The information from an elastography test can help:
- Diagnose liver conditions in people who have a high risk for liver disease
- Show how serious liver disease is
- Guide treatment choices for liver disease
- Monitor how well treatment for liver disease is working
- Help predict the chance that liver disease will cause certain serious problems
- Check how much fat is in the liver
Why do I need an elastography test?
You may need an elastography test to check for liver fibrosis (scarring) if you:
- Have liver disease and your health care provider needs information to guide treatment choices.
- Have had other liver tests that show you may have inflammation or damage in your liver.
- Are more likely to develop cirrhosis (severe liver scarring). Conditions that increase your risk for cirrhosis include:
Advantages of FibroScan:
Non-Invasive: FibroScan is a completely non-invasive procedure, meaning it does not require any surgical incisions or the removal of tissue samples, which is a significant advantage over traditional liver biopsy. A liver biopsy involves inserting a needle into the liver to extract a small tissue sample, which can be painful and carries risks such as bleeding, infection, and accidental injury to other organs. In contrast, FibroScan uses a small handheld device placed on the skin over the liver area, making it a much safer and more comfortable option for patients.
Rapid Results: One of the major benefits of FibroScan is the speed at which it delivers results. The entire process, from setup to completion, usually takes less than 10 minutes, making it an efficient option for both patients and healthcare providers. After the scan, the results are immediately available, allowing for a swift evaluation of liver health.
Repeatable: Because FibroScan is non-invasive, painless, and quick, it can be safely repeated as often as needed. This repeatability is a critical feature for patients with chronic liver conditions who require regular monitoring to track the progression or regression of liver disease. Unlike liver biopsy, which may be limited in frequency due to its invasive nature, FibroScan can be performed multiple times without any increased risk to the patient.
Broad Applicability: FibroScan is a versatile tool that can be used to assess liver health in a wide range of liver conditions. It is particularly useful for managing chronic liver diseases such as chronic hepatitis B and C, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and alcoholic liver disease. Each of these conditions can lead to fibrosis or steatosis, both of which are measurable with FibroScan.
Get a quick liver check with FibroScan—book now at Universal Diagnostic!
Take control of your liver health today! Schedule your FibroScan at Universal Diagnostic for a quick, non-invasive assessment of your liver. Book your appointment now to get accurate results and personalized care. Your health matters—act now!
How FibroScan Works
FibroScan is a special type of scan that helps doctors check how healthy your liver is without needing to do anything invasive, like a biopsy.
1. Measuring Liver Stiffness:
- What It Does: FibroScan uses a method called transient elastography, which is similar to an ultrasound, to measure the stiffness of your liver.
- The Process:
- During the procedure, the doctor places a small probe (like a mini ultrasound device) on your skin, right over your liver.
- This probe sends gentle, painless vibrations into your liver.
- These vibrations create waves that move through your liver tissue.
- The speed of these waves is key: if the waves move quickly, it means the liver is stiff, which could be a sign of fibrosis (scarring of the liver). If they move more slowly, it means the liver is more flexible, which is a good sign.
2. Measuring Liver Fat:
- What It Does: Besides checking stiffness, FibroScan can also measure how much fat is in your liver using a feature called the Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP).
- The Process:
- As the ultrasound waves pass through the liver, CAP measures how much of these waves are absorbed by the liver tissue.
- More absorption usually means there’s more fat in the liver, which can indicate a condition called liver steatosis or fatty liver.
Why It’s Important:
- Early Detection: By measuring both stiffness and fat content, FibroScan helps doctors catch liver problems early, before they become serious.
- Non-Invasive: The entire procedure is quick, painless, and doesn’t involve any needles or cuts, making it a stress-free experience for patients.
In summary, FibroScan is a simple, non-invasive way to check the liver’s health, looking at how stiff it is and how much fat it contains, both of which are important indicators of liver conditions like fibrosis and fatty liver.