FibroScan
What is FibroScan®?
An examination with FibroScan , is a painless way to understand your liver
health.®
When performed as part of an overall evaluation, FibroScan® provides valuable information for healthcare providers that might otherwise only be available from a liver biopsy.
The FibroScan® examination is
painless, quick and easy.
FibroScan® non-invasively measures the stiffness of your liver by capturing and calculating the speed of a shear wave as it travels through the liver.
This detection of stiffness may be used as an aid to clinical management of liver disease.
During the scan, you will only feel a slight vibration on the skin at the tip of the probe.
How is a FibroScan® examination performed?
You lie on your back, with your right arm raised behind your head. The operator applies a water-based gel to the skin and positions the probe adjacent to your liver.
The operator then scans your liver to capture 10 meaningful measurements made at the same location.
The result is delivered at the end of the examination as a number in “kilopascals” (kPa.) Your doctor will interpret the result in conjunction with other information from your overall examination.
Will I be comfortable?
Yes. The exam is painless and non-invasive. It’s also easy and fast, usually taking 5 to 10 minutes.
How long does it take to see results and what do the results mean?
FibroScan® provides immediate results to the operator.
How should I prepare for my examination?
It is important to have your FibroScan® examination on an empty stomach, Do not eat anything for at least 3 hours prior to your examination.
Wear comfortable clothes that will allow access to the right side of your rib cage.
It is important to tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, or if you have any active implantable devices, such as pacemakers, defibrillators, or pumps.