Answers
What is a FibroScan, and what do the results mean?
Short answer
A FibroScan is a quick, painless ultrasound-based test that measures how stiff the liver is, which reflects scarring (fibrosis), and how much fat it contains. It helps decide how serious fatty liver, hepatitis or alcohol-related liver disease is, often without needing a liver biopsy.
How it is done
You lie on your back with your right arm raised. A probe on the skin over the liver sends gentle pulses, which feel like a light tap. It takes about 10 minutes and there is no needle or radiation. Usually you are asked not to eat for about 3 hours before.
What the numbers mean
Results can read falsely high after a meal, with recent alcohol, active hepatitis, heart failure or a blocked bile duct, so your doctor reads them together with your blood tests.
- Liver stiffness, in kPa: lower numbers are normal; higher numbers suggest more scarring. As a rough guide, readings under about 7 kPa are usually normal, and readings above about 12 to 15 kPa suggest advanced scarring or cirrhosis. The exact cut-offs depend on the cause of liver disease.
- CAP, in dB/m: shows the amount of fat in the liver. Higher numbers mean more fat.
Who needs it
- Fatty liver with diabetes, raised liver enzymes or a bigger waist
- Hepatitis B or C
- Regular alcohol use
- Following up known liver scarring over time
What happens after
If scarring is low, lifestyle changes and periodic checks are usually enough. If scarring is high, further tests are done, including screening for varices and liver cancer. Scarring can improve when the cause is treated, such as weight loss in fatty liver or stopping alcohol.
Food before the test, and after the result
Before the test
- Do not eat for about 3 hours before the scan
- Plain water is usually fine; check with the centre
- Take your regular medicines as usual
Avoid
- A meal shortly before the test, which can falsely raise stiffness
- Alcohol in the days before the test
- Tea with sugar or sweet drinks during the fasting period
Good to know
- If fat (CAP) is high, cutting sugar, maida, fried food and alcohol, with slow weight loss, lowers it.
- Bring earlier FibroScan reports so the numbers can be compared.
Common questions
Is FibroScan better than an ultrasound?
They answer different questions. Ultrasound shows the shape of the liver and lumps; FibroScan measures scarring and fat. They are often used together.
Can FibroScan replace a liver biopsy?
In most people with fatty liver, hepatitis B or C, yes. A biopsy is still needed when the results are unclear or another disease is suspected.
How often should it be repeated?
Usually every one to three years, depending on the result and the cause. People with significant scarring are checked more often.