FibroScan

Patient information

When you come for your appointment, you will see a nurse. The nurse will perform the test, explain the results, and tell you what will happen next. 

Why have I been invited to have FibroScan?

Your GP practice has invited you to book a Fibrocan appointment because you may have had risk factors for liver disease in the past or present. It is possible to have liver disease or liver damage without noticing any symptoms. We want to find people with liver disease early so that we can prevent liver damage getting worse.

Please do not worry about why you have been invited: these risk factors are extremely common. They include being overweight, having high blood sugar with or without a diagnosis of diabetes, drinking above the recommended limits of alcohol, or viral hepatitis.

How do I prepare for the scan?

On the day of your procedure, do not eat or drink anything four hours before your test. You should continue to take any prescribed medication as normal.

You should wear comfortable clothes (e.g. shirt, loose dress) that can be moved or repositioned to allow the nurse to examine your right upper abdomen. Please do not wear any tight clothing to your appointment.

What does the scan involve?

1. You will lie on your back with your right hand raised behind your head.
2. A nurse will pass an ultrasound probe over the surface of your skin on the right side of your lower chest and tummy (abdomen).
3. The ultrasound probe will generate a mechanical pulse on the skin's surface and transmit an elastic wave through the liver.
4. The speed of this wave is measured by ultrasound and tells us how stiff or flexible the liver tissue is. Stiff liver tissue can indicate scarring or fibrosis of the liver.
5. The scan will take about 10 to 20 minutes to complete.
6. The nurse will discuss the results of the scan with you.
7. The results of the scan will be sent to the doctor who requested the test.

What are the benefits of this scan?

A FibroScan will help you and your doctor to understand whether you have liver scarring (cirrhosis). It will also estimate the fat content within your liver. This will help them to plan your treatment.

It is a quick and painless test. It does not have any potential complications or risks and it is non-invasive, which means that it does not break the skin or enter your body.

Are there any limitations to the scan?

Sometimes there is a possibility that we are not able to get an accurate result due to your body physique. A FibroScan can only measure liver fibrosis and fat content within the liver and may not help to find all causes of your liver damage.

After your FibroScan, you may need to have blood tests or a liver biopsy to give your care team a more detailed understanding of your liver health.