What’s the best diagnostic toll for diagnosing cirrhosis?

[Poppygrace23]

hi

I’ve had Nash liver for 18 months

I have noticed more veins all over and pain in my right side.

I recently had a ultrasound that showed fat and inflammation in the liver and a ct scan which was unremarkable in the liver, all blood tests regarding liver are normal.

would cirrhosis have been picked up in these tests do you think ?

What’s the best test? I had a liver biopsy which gave me the diagnosis, but drs don’t like to do it too often

Many thanks

Lauren

[LeiL]

MRE

[Yarkis]

Hey Lauren, I was wondering the same. Quit drinking after 6 or 7 years of near daily inebriation. RUQ discomfort scared the day lights out of me. Been a little less than a month now and still maybe a little discomfort that I thought had vanished. Normal liver function test twice. Two doctors said my liver/gallbladder/right kidney were "normal" on an ultrasound. Can the one ultrasound be wrong? Anyone have any idea? I actually got a hard copy of the ultrasound, but haven't had a chance to review it. They put it on a dvdr.. who has a cd rom drive any more?

[Poppygrace23 in reply to Yarkis]

Well done for quiting drinking! The pain is awful isn’t it! That’s good your results have came back normal, you would think they would pick up something, from either of the test, I have a Nash liver and they can see the inflammation and fat, so I’m guessing they would some form of damage on a ultrasound. I’ve researched and found the best way to know for sure is a fibroscan, or a liver biopsy, fibroscans are non invasive and can test the level of stiffness in the liver, which is what I would like for reassurance, but it depends if a dr would warrants a fibroscan, you can get it done privately, but still think the dr needs to do a referral, and privately costs around £300. I’m debating what to do.

I certainly don’t have a cd rom lol, I think if you ask your dr they can print it off for your records.

take care and all the best 😀

[Yarkis in reply to Poppygrace23]

I did ask them and they refused lol. Very odd. Thanks for the reassurance though. Never considered myself a hypochondriac, but man.. Turning 30 sucks.

[B3nnen2015]

I used to have the same question as I know that sometimes bloods can be normal with cirrhosis and imaging scans sometimes arent sensitive to picking it up...

There are other things that can be done like the 'fib 4' calculation and fibroscan.. but if I were you I'd concentrate in fixing the NASH.

[Poppygrace23 in reply to B3nnen2015]

HiYeah that’s what I have heard, sometimes tests can miss it, I had a fib 4 calculation when I was first diagnosed and I’m due another one in June.

yes heard of fibroscans but not sure if nhs do them often, as I’ve always had ultrasounds since my biopsy, I have looked in to having a private one but still need a referral from gp.

Yes, I’m on it, I’ve lost just over 20lbs and exercising every day healthy food.