UK - State-Of-The-Art Fibroscan Technology

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State-Of-The-Art

Fibroscan Technology For

Liver Disease Diagnosis Available At The Princess

Grace Hospital

A

new FibroScan® machine that uses the latest

technology for diagnosing liver damage is now available at the private Princess

Grace Hospital in central

London. FibroScan® uses ultrasound elastography

to measure liver stiffness - it is medically accepted that an unhealthy

cirrhotic liver is firmer than a healthy liver. Expert

consultants use the innovative computerised system to

give patients an immediate, non-invasive and painless measurement of the health

of their liver, without the need for an overnight stay in hospital. The Princess Grace

Hospital is dedicated to bringing

the latest technology in the diagnosis and treatment of liver disease to its

specialist Centre for Medical and Surgical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

FibroScan® can be used to evaluate the extent

of liver damage in all patients suffering from chronic liver disease,

irrespective of the underlying cause, such as viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver

disease and autoimmune hepatitis. It is painless and

has none of the morbidity or mortality associated with needle biopsy of the

liver.

" FibroScan® is a great asset in our fight

against liver disease, which is the fifth most common cause of death in the UK, "

said Dr Marley, Joint Chair of the Centre for Medical and Surgical

Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Princess Grace

Hospital. " Diagnosing

liver disease and damage as early as possible is paramount in giving patients

the best chances of recovery and, in many cases, the stimulus to change their

lifestyles to improve their liver health. With FibroScan®, we can generate an instant liver stiffness

reading to accurately assess damage caused by liver disease - it is completely

painless and the whole procedure can be done in just 15 minutes. "

With FibroScan®, a consultant holds a probe

against the patient's abdomen, on the right lobe of the liver.

Vibrations from the probe create elastic waves through the liver and

their spread is then tracked by ultrasound. The speed

of propagation of the waves is directly correlated to the stiffness of the

liver tissue. An algorithm calculates the velocity of

the wave, and the elasticity can be measured - the faster the wave spreads, the

stiffer the tissue. A reading based on the median

value of ten valid measurements is generated by the FibroScan®'s

sophisticated computer system. This examination can be

repeated as often as is necessary to monitor the progression of the disease

with or without treatment.

Ultrasound elastography offers several

advantages over other techniques employed in the diagnosis of liver disease. Unlike with a needle biopsy of the liver, no anaesthetic is needed with FibroScan

and the patient can be discharged immediately. Also,

ultrasound elastography is more similar to seismology

than to ultrasound imaging the acquisition speed is very high and the

acquisitions are therefore not biased by cardiac or respiratory movements as

they are with ultrasound imaging.

At the Centre for Medical and Surgical Gastroenterology and Hepatology,

we are committed to the early, accurate diagnosis and treatment of all liver

and gastroenterological disorders, " commented Professor Silk, joint

chair of the centre. " FibroScan®

is one example of the state-of-the-art medical technology made available to

expert consultant hepatologists and patients at The

Princess Grace Hospital in the fight against liver disease. "

A scan using FibroScan® costs £235. For further information on FibroScan®

or to make an appointment for a consultation, contact the Centre for Medical

and Surgical Gastroenterology and Hepatology at The Princess Grace Hospital:

For further information, please see The Princess Grace Hospital website at: www.theprincessgracehospital.co.uk.

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