Hi everyone, I just go my results back from the fibroscan test.
Hepatic parenchymal stiffness (measure of elasticity) : 13.1 kPa, with IQR/Median percentage of 27 %
Hepatic steatosis grade (scale S0-S3): S3, Severe steatosis.
I know this means severe fatty liver and fibrosis stage 3 but what i was wondering was could a value of 13.1 be cirrhosis? since this is so close to the 14 cut off for cirrhosis? I'm really concerned that maybe they underestimated my liver stiffness on this because i have several symptoms (signs) of cirrhosis. spider angiomas, red palms and white nails. Also my blood test are fine and my fibrosure blood test came back with fatty liver and no scarring. I'm so scared and confused. Can anyone add anything to this? If I was in late stage cirrhosis would my score on the fibroscan been a lot higher? Thank you
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Gingerjuju
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The management of your condition whether F3 or F4 (cirrhosis) doesn't really change much other than with cirrhosis you need 6 monthly bloods and scans to check for changes in the liver.
You need to address whatever is the underlying cause of your fibrosis and fatty liver whatever stage it is. Only by doing that will you reverse the symptoms and severity of the condition. Bearing in mind that the fibroscan score chart runs up to 75 kPa you can be pretty assured that even if you've tipped into cirrhosis you are no where need into as severe as it gets.
I don't know which chart you are looking at where 14 kPa tips you into the cirrhosis bracket since every condition has it's own scale. For Non-Alcohol Related Fatty Liver Disease the cut off is just below 12 kPa, for alcohol it's higher. If you type Fibroscan Score Chart into your search engine and look at images it brings up a really clear graph with the most common causes of liver disease and their cut off points.
Thank you for the reply AyrshireK, Yes it's caused from nafld..I do drink 3-6 times a year and i was a heavy weekend drinker until about 14 years ago and i am very overweight, never took care of myself so i'm sure it has to do with a little of both. My fibroscan results said stage f3 when i looked that up on the fibroscan score charts it said for nafld was 10-14kpa. I have started eating healthy and just bought a treadmill today! I don't see a gasto until Nov 20..I'm so scared!
You can still take great strides to bring that score down and improve your health hugely, Take a look at the BLT page on NAFLD and see what you can do. britishlivertrust.org.uk/in... It's not the end of the world and you can do something about it.
Thank you Katie, I really appreciate your reply and advice. I was so worried no one would reply to this and I would be just as lost and scared as I was before writing on here..Thank you!!
Hi I've just read your story. You will be worried. I was too. But through lifestyle changes I got mine down from 12.7 kpa and a grade 3 severe fatty liver down to 4.6kpa and grade 1 fatty liver. Took 2 years but can be done. U need time n effort. Do all the rights things n you will be surprised what results can be achieved. Best wishes chris
youngandworried..I sure hope that is the case, I am so worried. I suffer from panic attacks and health anxiety anyways so this has just about destroyed me.
Hi,
Whilst FibroScan is a very useful diagnostic test, it is important that you see your consultant who is best placed to look at your blood tests, imaging scans, physical examination and medical and lifestyle history when making a clear diagnosis.
Can you possibly speak to your consultant before November?
Hi Trust1, Thank you for replying..No I can't talk to the gastro because I haven't ever seen her before, this will be my first visit. My endo is the one that looked at me for another reason and said I had some skin symptoms of severe liver disease so she took blood for a fibrosure test and sent me for a fibroscan. After getting the results she is sending me to a gastro now because my blood work is normal, the fibrosure blood test said fatty liver no scarring and the fibroscan said f3 fibrosis and my skin from what I have read is consistent with cirrhosis..I am so confused and worried that that fibroscan underestimated my results and I don't want a biopsy because I have heard they are painful and they aren't 100% accurate either...I just feel so lost right now and I can't seem to come to grips that I probably have cirrhois. I will keep you guys posted once I find out what is going on..thank you
Hi I was offered a liver biopsy over 10yrs ago... i turned up and they gave me something to calm me down but i panicked and ran ( more like walked out) I have been ordered another one but just the thought of it sends me in panic mode- they gave me a fibro scan instead and said it was just as accurate. I said I'd have the biopsy if they put me to sleep but I am petrified. I dont know if I'd go through with a transplant if offered... I'm petrified. Had camera down my throat (sedated) but I was terrified. I hated every second of it and I could only cry tears as couldnt breathe.
You need to talk to your doctor about this many things can affect your fibroscan score for instance mild inflammation can raise it and if you are overweight that can also have an effect on the reading. Only a doctor can give you advice about it sometimes it can underestimate the amount of fibrosis as well.
Thanks for your reply toma123, I'm waiting to see a gastro but have to wait another month before I can get in there. Do you know what would cause them to underestimate the score? I have read that being overweight and inflamation cause cause an overestimation but nothing really saying what would cause an underestimation on the scan.
Thank you, I don't see the gastro until Nov 20th so I will not know anything until I see her and she orders more tests I suppose. Yes I'm scared to death and worrying myself sick over this. I'm not sure what is worse, not knowing or knowing what is going on.
glennigogs, I don't see the gastro doctor until Nov 20 so I don't know, I'm scared to death to have a liver biopsy so I really hope she can do some other tests to figure out what is going on but I have a feeling she will want to do one. What are they suggesting for you?
The biopsy isn't too bad, I found. It made me jump when they actually did it, but they are prepared for that, it must happen a lot.
I had a little aching for a couple of hours after that, but a couple of paracetamol helped, and after 4 hours rest (they like you to stay on the ward to keep an eye on the biopsy site) I was was up and off with a small plaster.
I am glad I went for that in the end, and found that I was worried about nothing (I did worry , like yourself) sometimes the worry can be worse than the actual event XX
Mainly they asked me to avoid alcohol and refined sugars and fats and particularly fructose and saturated/trans fats. Also to try and loose weight .
I was told that the Mediterranean diet was probably a good one, as things like keto actually inflame the liver more., and extreme weightloss can also aggravate it.
I'm not a medic so cant advise you, but that is what I was told. I hope this helps. I supose it may be worth trying and boning up on healthier food for livers whilst you wait for the appointment, so its not so much like jumping in at the deep end.
glennigogs, Thank you so much for all the information and sharing your experience with me. I have started eating healthier, i'm trying to go by the diet that is on this website..pretty much Mediterranean, and I have started to exercise a little bit. One step at a time. Your kind words were a big help..thank you!!! and good luck to you.
I'm not sure I can answer directly, nor can I offer a medical opinion, but...
My situation; admitted to hospital mid-2019, my scan came back > 50kPa, I had some ascites, mild encephalopathy, frank jaundice, some poor LFTs and severe malnutrition. Now I am much improved, though was diagnosed with cirrhosis subsequent to alcohol last year. My LFTs are currently good, though US shows some coarsening of liver texture suggestive of 'scarring'. I'm hopeful, and feel better than I have for decades, but not kidding myself.
I'm trying to get to a better understanding of this sort of thing because a mean value, taken in isolation, at one point in time, and without looking at the whole picture, can be very misleading.
Not sure about fibroscan data, and again I'm not qualified in this, but in general there is variation both within and between individuals with test results. Several other factors can elevate a fibroscan score, as other posters have mentioned.
I'm not trying to by-pass medical opinion but I know how frightening this sort of thing can be. I'm arranging a follow-on fibroscan of my own for this reason. I'm hoping mine has improved.
Thank you for the information DB50 and sharing your story with me, I appreciate you taking the time to reply to my message. I just feel so lost through all of this as i'm sure everyone is that is dealing with something this scary. I hope the best for you, good luck to you too!
I did also have a disparity between blood results etc. My first Fibro scan was 11, then they tried me with a different type of shearwave scan that came out much less, and I though because my bloodtests were all fairly ok that this would be the end of it, but the consultant said that because all this was contracting information, the biopsy would be the best option. A year later after cutting out 2 meds that were heavy load on the liver (and found I could live without) and healtheir eating (no weight loss tho) I came in at "8" on the fibroscan. I had to request the next fibroscan though at the time. However this year they have booked me in for another one.
I also have a 6 monthly ultrasound, as with fibrosis you can be more at risk of certain other liver changes that may impact you as well, and those can be seen with ultrasound
Yes that's what I'm afraid of..My blood work was ok and the fibrosure blood test came back saying severe fatty liver no scarring but the fibroscan said f3..So I think they will want to do a biopsy to see what is going on.
I had bloodwork showing very high GGT reading, around 355 and the others elevated as well but not that much. My fibro scan showed a fatty liver with scarring. No cirrhosis yet but they told me I have to lose 10% of my body weight which is about 23 lbs. mine is non-alcoholic but I am scared because my father died from liver cancer and they told me that if I don’t do something right now I will end up with cirrhosis or liver cancer. Told me I’m too old for a transplant so I have one year to turn this around. It is not alcohol related but they scared the hell out of me. 3 different doctors told me basically the same thing. My stomach is swollen, I itch and feel fatigued and nauseous most of the time but the worse part is the fear that it will still get worse. I see lots of ppl on here are scarred as well. Wish I had something positive to help others but I don’t at this time, maybe later.
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