Nodules, abnormal spherical areas of cells, form as dying liver cells are replaced by regenerating cells. FibroScan can show you how your recovery is advancing.įibrosis of the liver is excessive accumulation of scar tissue that results from ongoing inflammation and liver cell death that occurs in most types of chronic liver diseases. Recovery from liver fibrosis may lower your long term risk of cancer. On the other hand, a very low FibroScan score can provide you and your loved ones reassurance that your liver can afford to wait for better/less expensive treatment options in the future. When such disruption is widespread, cirrhosis is diagnosed. Commonly, fibrosis progresses, disrupting hepatic architecture and eventually function, as regenerating hepatocytes attempt to replace and repair damaged tissue. In hepatic fibrosis, excessive connective tissue accumulates in the liver this tissue represents scarring in response to chronic, repeated liver cell injury. Shear wave velocity is determined by measuring the time the vibration wave takes to travel to a particular depth inside the liver. Liver hardness is evaluated by measuring the velocity of a vibration wave (also called a ‘shear wave’) generated on the skin. FibroScan has dramatically reduced the need for having a liver biopsy. This scan is painless, takes less than ten minutes and produces immediate results. The stage of liver disease can be estimated by measuring liver stiffness using a FibroScan. The result is given in kilo Pascal’s (kPa). After 10 readings are taken, the total is averaged. The stiffer the liver, the quicker the waves travel and the greater the degree of fibrosis. The probe emits sound waves that pass through the liver and bounce back as shear waves. Only in rare instances is liver fibrosis the primary problem more often, it is secondary to some other liver disease such as cirrhosis.įibroScan uses an ultrasound transducer, a probe placed between your ribs on your right side, on a small area of skin coated with a gel. Chronic infection with hepatitis C or hepatitis B virus (HCV or HBV), heavy alcohol consumption, toxins, trauma or other factors can all lead to liver fibrosis. Fibrosis occurs when excessive scar tissue builds up faster than it can be broken down and removed from the liver. Learn all about fibroscan test for liver fibrosis.
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