How FibroScan® Testing Works

FibroScan is a noninvasive technique used by doctors to examine the wellness of the liver and identify concerns that might impact liver function. Done with ultrasound technology, this advanced medical assessment, also known as transient elastography, measures the amount of fat cells in a person's liver (fatty liver disease). FibroScan also allows specialists to assess the degree of stiffness in the liver tissue. A high level of stiffness can indicate the existence of fibrotic scar tissue, inflammation of the liver, or additional issues. If hepatic steatosis or fibrosis is suspected, the experienced physicians at Texas Digestive Disease Consultants may conduct FibroScan testing at our DFW offices to diagnose and better understand the degree of the condition.

Why would I need FibroScan testing?

Gastrointestinal (GI) physicians routinely address diseases of the liver and might advise a FibroScan analysis for individuals with signs of early to late-stage liver disease. A GI physician could recommend FibroScan procedures for people who present at least one indicator of a liver condition or damage, like:

• Alcohol-related liver damage
• Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
• Insulin resistance syndrome
• Late-stage liver scarring (cirrhosis)
• Different forms of liver inflammation

How is FibroScan performed?

Transient elastography is performed at Texas Digestive Disease Consultants for DFW patients and may be ordered as a substitute for a liver biopsy. It is commonly conducted along with additional imaging tests or lab tests to comprehensively check for a liver condition. During the procedure, individuals lie down on a medical table. The sonographer then passes the FibroScan imaging probe over the right upper quadrant of the abdomen, right beneath the ribs. Several vibrations are emitted straight into the liver, determining the speed at which ultrasound vibrations travel through the liver tissue. FibroScan tests are generally painless and typically take about 10 minutes or so to perform.

The meaning of your FibroScan outcomes

Once FibroScan testing is complete, the scores are delivered to the specialist who ordered the assessment. The test exhibits a number value that designates the measurement of fatty change inside the liver, which is referred to as a CAP (controlled attenuation parameter) score as well as a fibrosis score.

-The FibroScan CAP score is measured in dB/m and helps specify the amount of fat cells within your liver. A higher CAP score points to a higher grade of fatty change and a more serious level of a fatty liver condition.

-The fibrosis result yields information on the presence of scarring (fibrosis) in the liver, varying from no scarring to moderate or advanced liver fibrosis (cirrhosis).

A follow-up visit with your GI doctor will be scheduled to view and discuss the exam scores. Suggestions for medical care or ways to change your lifestyle may then be given according to the specific needs of the individual. Secondary FibroScan procedures might be performed on a continuous basis to check the state of the liver or to establish if the liver disease has progressed.

Learn more about FibroScan procedures in DFW

As the second largest organ in the human body, the liver plays a critical role in comprehensive health. A fatty liver condition along with fibrotic scar tissue may alter multiple aspects of a patient’s general well-being, from causing abdominal bloating and fatigue to increasing the risk of liver cancer and liver failure. Texas Digestive Disease Consultants has locations throughout the DFW area and provides nonsurgical transient elastography testing to detect fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis. To get more information about FibroScan and schedule a consultation with a trained gastroenterologist, please contact a Texas Digestive Disease Consultants office near you.