SCAN

[scruffycat]

Saw someone on TV last night having a liver scan. It seemed so quick and easy. Has anyone had one recently? It seemed just one you have when you're pregnant? I presume you have to go through your doctor, it's not possible to arrange an appointment directly? Am I missing something? Surely there's more to it? Is this just the first stage? I feel like I'm from another planet. Sorry.

[Bolly]

Was it a Fibroscan or an ultrasound scan?

[Everydaycirrhosis in reply to Bolly]

A Fibroscan is the relatively new non invasive scan that has replaced the need for a liver biopsy in many cases. It takes no more than 5 minutes and the results are there straight away xxx

[scruffycat in reply to Everydaycirrhosis]

does your GP refer you?

[Everydaycirrhosis]

You can have a fibroscan on the liver. Pain free and non invasive. It will determine whether the liver is healthy, fatty, fibrosis or cirrhotic. Another scan is a liver surveillance ultrasound and yes very similar to a pregnancy scan. Takes about 15 minutes. I have my 5th one next week xxx

[scruffycat in reply to Everydaycirrhosis]

did your GP refer you?

[Westie-love]

I had a scan a few months ago, it was ok although when she pressed down, it was pretty uncomfortable, I was told there and then that my liver was enlarged, it was flagged up in routine blood tests, and it was the second time it had reared its ugly head during blood tests.

[scruffycat]

instant diagnoses, I've never had that

[elenaki]

I had a fibroscan and it suggested i have scarring of the liver (fibrossis). I had to have a liver biopsy to further investigate. My dr said that fibroscans are exellent at detecting more advanced liver conditions such as cirrosis, and a healthy liver but when it comes to early stages of liver disease it has a tendancy to over estimate by atleast 2.5 kpa.

[Dulux]

I've had most scans and maybe I'm weird but I love looking at all the scanners and love to read up on how they work, the one I have dodged so far is the endoscopy, which isn't really a scan at all, but I just don't want it......

MRI gets a bit boring with all that breathing in and out malarkey.

I've never heard of immediate diagnoses, when I had my ultrasound and they found two lumps it was all quite hush hush, and all my imaging is discussed at the Kings big chiefs meeting before I get to see them.

I hope they get to the bottom of your problem soon.

[BigSpuds]

Hi

I've just had a liver scan and yes it is simple and painless, but I've had 2 and both have been pretty much a waste of effort. I have already been diagnosed with AIH and cirrhosis and both tests came back pretty much normal! It's really not very precise at all and an MRI is so much more trustworthy though I think you have to go for the first before they send you for the second. It's all time wasting and although it's essential each one takes about 6 weeks to come through with an appointment. After both of these is a biopsy which in my case was totally painless as I was given pethidine first - in fact it was all quite pleasant. This is almost totally accurate as they have a piece of your liver to analyse, and frankly I don't know why they don't just go straight for that if they know there's a problem through blood tests - probably the cost and that you have to be n inpatient to have it done I think.

Hope all this os of some use though it is only my experience and I don't know any one else who's had these exploritories done.

SPUDS x

[scruffycat in reply to BigSpuds]

I think TIME wasting is a common practice

[scruffycat]

I can see,if I remember, I'll be asking the doc for a scan.