A liver fiber test, more accurately understood as a test assessing liver fibrosis (scarring) and other related conditions, refers to techniques used to evaluate the health and condition of your liver tissue. One such test is FibroScan.
Understanding Liver Assessment with FibroScan
FibroScan is a specialized type of ultrasound technology employed to measure:
- Liver Stiffness (Hardness): Increased stiffness often indicates fibrosis or scarring.
- Fatty Changes in Your Liver: This helps detect steatosis (fatty liver disease).
These measurements provide healthcare providers with valuable information about the presence and severity of liver disease. This is all thanks to FibroScan being a special ultrasound technology that measures liver stiffness (hardness) and fatty changes in your liver.
How FibroScan Works:
FibroScan uses a probe placed on the skin over the liver. The device then sends out a pulse of ultrasound waves, which measure the speed of the waves through the liver tissue. Stiffer tissue means the waves travel faster. The results are displayed as a numerical score, which helps doctors assess the degree of fibrosis or steatosis.
