Fibroscan

Patient information

Patients will be seen face to face by a nurse, whom will scan their liver and read back the findings in real time. The readings will be explained to each patient. This service is not available to those under the age of 18.

Why do I need a Fibroscan?
Your doctor wants to find out if there is any damage to your liver and by having a FibroScan we can more accurately assess this. Liver disease is increasing at one of the fastest rates of any disease. You may not have any signs or symptoms of early liver damage. Finding and treating liver fibrosis early on can help avoid permanent tissue damage of the liver (cirrhosis).

FibraScan is helpful in diagnosing liver damage in people who have.

• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (associated with diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol).
• Liver disease due to drinking large amounts of alcohol.
• Inflammation in the liver due to viruses (mainly hepatitis B and C).
• Other liver diseases.
  
  

How do I prepare for the scan?
You will need to stop all food and drink four hours before your scan; you can have small sips of water if needed; you can continue to take any prescribed medication as normal.


What does the scan involve?

1. You will lie on your back with your right hand raised behind your head.
2. An ultrasound probe will pass over the surface of your skin on the right side of your lower chest/ tummy (abdomen).
3. A mechanical pulse is generated on the skin surface and an elastic wave is transmitted through the liver.
4. The speed of this wave is measured by ultrasound and tells us how stiff or flexible the liver tissue is.
5. Stiffer Idler tissue means more severe scarring or fibrosis of the Idler.
6. The scan will take about 10 to 20 minutes to complete.
7. The results will be sent to the doctor who requested the test.
   
   

What are the benefits of this scan?
A FibroScan will help your doctor to understand how much scarring is in your liver and 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 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.

Blood tests and a Liver biopsy may still be needed to give a more detailed picture of your liver damage, however these tests are invasive, which means they break the skin and enter your body.

Clinics

The FibroScan clinic is available only on Saturdays from 09.00 to 14.30.

Walk-in clinics

Opening hours: Monday through Friday from 9.00 to 17.00.

Willesden Community Diagnostic Centre Address:
Willesden Community Diagnostic Centre
First floor Willesden Centre for Health & Care
Robson Avenue
Willesden
NW10 3RY