Types of FibroScan

1. Liver FibroScan : Measures liver stiffness to assess liver fibrosis.

2. Liver Steatosis Assessment : Measures liver fat content to assess liver steatosis.

Procedure

1. Preparation : Patient fasts for 2-3 hours before the procedure.

2. Probe Placement : A probe is placed on the patient's abdomen.

3. Measurement : The device sends vibrations through the liver and measures the stiffness.

4. Results : Liver stiffness is measured in kilopascals (kPa).

Indications

1. Liver Fibrosis : Diagnose and monitor liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease.

2. Liver Steatosis : Diagnose and monitor liver steatosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

3. Liver Cancer Screening : Identify patients at risk of liver cancer.

Benefits

1. Non-Invasive : No needles or incisions required.

2. Quick and Painless : Procedure takes around 10 minutes.

3. Accurate : Correlates well with liver biopsy results.

4. Repeatable : Can be repeated multiple times to monitor liver health.

Limitations

1. Obesity : May affect accuracy in obese patients.

2. Ascites : May affect accuracy in patients with ascites.

3. Liver Iron Overload : May affect accuracy in patients with liver iron overload.

Interpretation of Results

1. Liver Stiffness : Measures liver fibrosis, with higher values indicating more severe fibrosis.

2. Liver Fat Content : Measures liver steatosis, with higher values indicating more severe steatosis.

Clinical Significance

1. Liver Fibrosis Staging : FibroScan results can be used to stage liver fibrosis.

2. Treatment Monitoring : FibroScan results can be used to monitor treatment response.

3. Liver Cancer Risk Assessment : FibroScan results can be used to assess liver cancer risk.