FibroScan® in Baton Rouge, LA
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Find a ProviderWhat is FibroScan?
FibroScan is an ultrasound technology used by the gastrointestinal specialists at Gastroenterology Associates to noninvasively inspect the liver. Also known as transient elastography, the test uses a specific ultrasound technology to evaluate the state of fibrosis and steatosis within the liver. Fibrosis occurs when the liver substitutes healthy tissue with scar tissue to try to remedy itself from a different condition. Hepatic steatosis is also called fatty liver disease and arises when fat accumulates in the liver cells.
Using FibroScan, your Baton Rouge, LA GI specialists will be able to assess the state and function of your liver, and make a diagnosis and treatment plan without aggressively probing the body to review the liver. If you have a liver ailment, reach out to Gastroenterology Associates to learn if you might benefit from FibroScan technology.
Who is a good candidate for FibroScan testing?
FibroScan testing might be suggested if you have early to advanced liver disease or other ailments. These might include:
- different classes of chronic liver disease
- Alcoholic FLD
- Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
- Particular types of hepatitis
- Syndrome X (insulin resistance syndrome)
- Cirrhosis of the liver (extreme scarring)
- Hemochromatosis
- PBC (primary biliary cholangitis)
How is FibroScan performed?
A FibroScan test is a convenient procedure that only takes 10 – 15 minutes. A detector will be placed on your skin on top of your liver. This distinctive sensor emits sound waves through your liver to measure the rate at which sound travels through the organ. The FibroScan system then generates a string of results that your Baton Rouge, LA GI specialists will use to evaluate the level of hardness (fibrosis) within your heptic system (liver).
How do you understand and translate FibroScan results?
FibroScan findings are given based on steatosis grade and fibrosis score. The subsequent charts incorporate generalized details relating to what the scan results can show. You may discuss your findings in detail with your gastroenterologist following your FibroScan scan.
Steatosis grade: The fatty change findings characterize the level of fatty change in the liver and are provided via a controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) score, which is evaluated in decibels per meter (dB/m). The range is from 100 – 400 decibels per meter, and different ranges contribute to a different steatosis grade.
|
CAP Score (dB/m) |
Steatosis Grade |
Amount of Liver With Fatty Change |
|
238 – 260 |
S1 |
11% – 33% |
|
260 – 290 |
S2 |
34% – 66% |
|
290 + |
S3 |
67% + |
Fibrosis score: The fibrosis result is an estimation of the hardening of the liver and represents the degree of scarring that the liver has experienced. Your GI physician will utilize your FibroScan findings integrated with your medical records to determine your fibrosis value. Various liver diseases can change the fibrosis score.
- F0 to F1: void of scarring/minimal scarring
- F2: medium scarring
- F3: extreme scarring
- F4: extremely progressive scarring (cirrhosis)
What are the advantages of FibroScan?
Because FibroScan utilizes ultrasound technology, there is little to no risk correlated with the method. FibroScan is a noninvasive imaging process and, for that reason, is generally tolerable. It allows for a wider exploration of the full liver instead of the smaller exam that occurs with a liver biopsy. Additional benefits include:
- No sedation is required
- Relatively economical
- Quick
- Immediate results
Expert care for liver conditions
As one of the largest organs in the body, your liver executes tasks required to maintain your health and wellness. Fibrosis and steatosis may influence your liver and your body in different ways that could lead to serious conditions without proper care. For more information about FibroScan in Baton Rouge, LA or to meet with a gastroenterologist close to you, please get in touch with your local Gastroenterology Associates today.
FibroScan® FAQs
How do I prepare for the FibroScan test?
You won’t be allowed to eat or drink anything except small sips of water leading up to your FibroScan test. You can still take any medications as prescribed. Our GI specialists recommend that you dress in loose-fitting clothes so it’s easier for our providers to reach the right side of your ribcage. We will go over all these instructions with you before the exam to ensure you know and understand what to expect with FibroScan testing.
What liver diseases can FibroScan measure?
The FibroScan can detect and watch the evolution of various liver diseases. Some of the diseases FibroScan can detect include:
- NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease)
- Alcoholic liver disease
- Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
- Hepatitis B and C
- Hemochromatosis
Is there a difference between an ultrasound and Fibroscan?
FibroScan is a form of ultrasound that uses the same technology a normal ultrasound will use (called transient elastography). Although the two are alike, FibroScan was invented especially to evaluate how stiff the liver is and is, therefore, perceptibly more sensitive to finding issues within the liver than a simple ultrasound.
Is FibroScan more advanced than a liver biopsy?
The FibroScan is a nonsurgical alternative option to the liver biopsy. It should be noted, however, there may be certain circumstances in which a biopsy of the liver could be preferred. This includes situations when a person who has a pacemaker or defibrillator, who is pregnant, or has fluid in the abdomen. Additionally, results may become inaccurate in people who are morbidly obese. Keeping all of this in mind, our Gastroenterology Associates providers will work with you to help decide if the FibroScan test or a liver biopsy is better for your needs.
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