FibroScan - Liver Health Assessment

What Is FibroScan?

The liver is one of the largest and most important organs of our body. From digestion to blood purification to detoxification, the liver performs many functions. That is why understanding liver health is important to know the well-being of our body. There are several ways to know your liver health. However, any technique that can tell us our liver health with minimal intervention will be useful.

The FibroScan of the liver is a modern scanning technique that can tell the health of our liver. In this scanning technique, doctors can tell our liver health from the outside without putting anything into our body. That is why it is known as a non-invasive diagnostic method. In this technique, doctors use sound waves to determine the elasticity of the liver. That is why some people call it liver elastography.

How Does FibroScan Work?

The FibroScan procedure is similar to an ultrasound technique. A doctor uses a large, needle-like (transducer) device to deliver a mild range of low-frequency sound waves (50 Hertz) into the liver area. As these sound waves hit your liver, they bounce back, and the transducer records them.

The nature of these incoming sound waves depends on the velocity, vibration, and pattern. These patterns are determined by the health and condition of your liver tissues. The elastic nature of your liver tissue determines the nature of those incoming sound waves.

Why Is FibroScan Important?

The health of any organ depends on the condition of its tissue. If the condition or the health of this tissue is not good, it causes inflammation. A gradual and consistent inflammation leads to the deposition of fibrous tissues. The same thing happens with the liver. Persistent inflammation leads to liver fibrosis. Previously, doctors used to do a liver biopsy to determine the condition of the liver fibrosis. However, this condition requires hospitalization and is a time-consuming process. Also, it is painful.

FibroScan, which is an FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved, non-invasive technique, can tell us about liver fibrosis. Apart from this, it can indicate the extent of liver damage and the degree of fat deposition in your liver. A FibroScan test can tell us your fibrosis score within minutes.

Who Should Consider a FibroScan?

Some severe liver issues can cause severe liver damage. These conditions can cause liver fibrosis and can ultimately lead to liver failure. These issues are:

1. Severe liver damage due to alcoholism can cause deposition of fat in the liver.

2. Sometimes other conditions can cause a fatty liver. These can be genetics, diet, or type 2 diabetes. This type of fatty liver is known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

3. Even viral infections like hepatitis B or hepatitis C can cause liver problems like fatty liver.

Why would I need a FibroScan?

You need a FibroScan to know about your liver health. If you are a regular alcoholic, you must be cautious about your liver health. Also, if you notice any of these unnatural changes in your body, you might need a liver FibroScan.

1. If your abdomen is swollen due to the collection of fluid (ascites).

2. Liver issues can cause your skin to turn yellowish (jaundice) and lead to severe skin itching.

3. Liver disease can cause blood in your poop or blood in your vomit.

4. If your liver condition is bad, it can cause severe mental issues.

You must understand that a timely, non-invasive technique like FibroScan can save your liver. It can not only save your life, but can also save you from complicated treatment like a liver transplant.

What to Expect During a FibroScan Test?

As previously discussed, the Fibroscan test is similar to an ultrasound test. During this test, the doctor will ask you to lie in a supine position. While lying, your right arm must be away from your body as far as possible or behind your head. At the start of the procedure, the doctor applies a gel-like substance to the right side of the chest and abdomen.

After this, the doctor will position the probe in the lower portion of your chest, in between your rib bones, and record at least ten readings from your liver scan.

What Is a Normal Fibroscan Result?

Fibrosis Score – The scarring of the liver is given as a fibrosis score and is measured in kilopascals (kPa).

How long does it take to get results from a FibroScan?

FibroScan hardly takes ten to fifteen minutes to complete. However, during the FibroScan preparation, you should not eat anything for at least three hours. Also, you should not consume alcohol for at least 24 hours before the FibroScan.

How to Interpret Your FibroScan Results?

The Liver FibroScan results provide information about the liver's health, including its elasticity and fat deposition. The FibroScan score is known as the CAP score. The CAP, or Controlled Attenuation Parameter, measures the amount of fat present in your liver. This score is recorded in decibels per meter (dB/m) and typically ranges from 100 to 400. If your liver is healthy, the CAP score will be below 238. Different CAP scores based on the fat percentage in your liver are as follows:

1. A score between 238 and 260 signifies that about one-third of your liver is affected.

2. If the score is between 260 and 290, fatty changes are present in one-third to two-thirds of your liver.

3. A score between 290 and 400 signifies more than two-thirds of your liver is affected by fatty changes.

Apart from the fatty changes, FibroScan can identify liver cirrhosis by the loss of the liver’s elasticity. KiloPascal or kPa denotes the stiffness of your liver due to loss of elasticity. In a healthy liver, the Fibroscan reading is within the normal range of two to seven. Different FibroScan results according to FibroScan are as follows

1. A mild to moderate fibrosis (F0 to F1) score should be between eight and 12 kPa.

2. In significant fibrosis (F2), the score should be between 13 and 18 kPa.

3. A score between 19 and 24 kPa signifies early cirrhosis (F3).

4. If the score exceeds 25 kPa, it indicates advanced cirrhosis (F4).

What Are the Common Myths About FibroScan?

Many people believe that FibroScan is a painful and lengthy procedure. However, it is a simple procedure that is very fast. It does not cause any pain or discomfort, and it does not require hospitalization. Also, some people think that it can harm our organs. As this technique uses sound waves, it is safer than diagnostic techniques that use radiation waves.

What Are the Benefits of Choosing FibroScan?

FibroScan has several advantages. Doctors choose FibroScan for the following reasons:

1. FibroScan does not require any hospitalization or surgical interventions.

2. Doctors can see Fibroscan interpretation within minutes.

3. This procedure is very accurate.

4. Unlike a liver biopsy, the Fibroscan can provide a comprehensive view of the liver's health.

Conclusion

A FibroScan is a noninvasive diagnostic tool for your liver health. It utilizes sound waves to determine the condition of your liver tissue. Several conditions, like alcoholism, type 2 diabetes, or viral hepatitis, can damage your liver. In such cases, a FibroScan can predict the extent of your liver damage. It can accurately tell us the amount of fat deposition or the extent of liver cirrhosis. Most importantly, this procedure is pain-free, fast, and does not require hospitalization.

Key Takeaway From iCliniq

If you are experiencing any liver issues, a FibroScan can accurately assess your liver health. A bad FibroScan result can predict fatty liver or liver cirrhosis without any biopsy. For more information, you can consult a radiologist at iCliniq.