Indications for FibroScan measure the elasticity and fatness of the liver

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Le Nguyen Hong Tram - Gastroenterologist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.

FibroScan is a new ultrasound technique used to evaluate the elasticity and fatness of the liver. FibroScan can be quite widely indicated in all chronic liver diseases such as diabetes, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, fatty liver, cholestatic liver, alcoholic liver disease...

Fibroscan liver elastography is a new ultrasound method, used to evaluate the degree of cirrhosis quantitatively by measuring the stiffness of the liver. Besides, FibroScan is also capable of assessing hepatic steatosis, by calculating from the ultrasound signal in the stiffness measurement, based on the controlled hypoechoic parameter.
Patients with cirrhosis or fatty liver can be easily detected through FibroScan elastography.
The advantages of this FibroScan ultrasound method include:
No pain for the patient because it is non-invasive Quick to perform in just 10 minutes and has immediate results High accuracy equivalent to a liver biopsy Low cost . Limitations of the FibroScan ultrasound method:
Measurement with FibroScan may be difficult when the patient has confounding factors such as: active hepatitis, cholestasis, liver tumor, liver obstruction due to heart failure, obesity obesity, the intercostal space is narrow and cannot be performed in patients with cirrhosis and ascites. The average failure rate is 3.1% and depends heavily on the body mass index This method of liver ultrasound FibroScan only measures the right liver, not the left liver The cost of the FibroScan is quite high Not replaceable Completely normal liver ultrasound because FibroScan only evaluates liver stiffness and fatty liver. Only conventional liver ultrasonography can assess the structural integrity of the liver, portal and abdominal dilatation, splenomegaly, or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mass. Absolute contraindication, but the manufacturer also recommends against using FibroScan in pregnant women or in patients using pacemakers.

In clinical practice, the indications of FibroScan can be used quite widely to detect, stage, monitor treatment effectiveness and evaluate liver fibrosis and fatty liver in all patients. Chronic liver disease includes:
Chronic viral hepatitis: Hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, HCV co-infection and co-infection Metabolic diseases: Diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: NAFLD), non-alcohol steatohepatitis (NASH), alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and portal hypertension. In addition, the FibroScan ultrasound method for liver elastography can also be widely used to monitor the therapeutic effect and prognosis of patients after liver transplantation, hepatobiliary diseases, and liver disease screening. romance in the community,...

3.1 Normal value of liver stiffness The normal value of liver stiffness is considered to be non-fibrotic (F0): for men it is 5.81 ± 1.54 kPa and for women it is 5.23 ± 1.59 kPa Approximately 90-95% of healthy individuals without liver disease have liver stiffness <7.0 kPa (mean 5.30 kPa). 3.2 Normal value of hepatic steatosis The normal value of hepatic steatosis CAP is considered non-fatty liver for both sexes is 201 ± 44 dB/m
With ultrasound Fibroscan elastography Liver and liver steatosis are currently quite widely indicated in all chronic liver diseases such as diabetes, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, fatty liver, cholestatic liver, ... Moreover, this method is done quickly, without pain or any discomfort for the patient and low cost.
Specialist I Le Nguyen Hong Tram graduated as a Doctor of General Internal Medicine at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh, doctor has many years of experience in the examination and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, especially gastrointestinal - hepatobiliary diseases, gastrointestinal endoscopy and general internal diseases. Currently, Dr. Tram is working at the Department of Medical Examination and Internal Medicine, Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.
At Vinmec International General Hospital, we are implementing packages of hepatobiliary screening