Fibroscans that do not give CAP score?

[Kylewillmott]

Hi all,

I had a fibroscan done privately Dec 7th 2021. It showed CAP of 314 and KPA of 4.8.

I had another one this month Jan 11th via the NHS. The KPA had gone to 3.9 (I assume due to a no sugar diet, no bad carbs and 30 min exercises min 6 days a week).

However no CAP was given as apparently the machine they had didn’t do that? It simply produced a median KPA.

Would I be wise for me to pay again for it to be done privately to see what the CAP has done?

When I told the hospital my previous results and previous CAP they just said, ‘whatever you are doing has worked and you would have reduced the CAP significantly, so keep it up’.

I still feel uneasy about a fibroscan that does not provide a CAP?

[MINTVCX]

First version of FibroScan did not provide CAP score so was not able to check steatosis of the liver. I also had only kpa score sometimes ago. It is nothing to worry about although you should be infomed about it before examination.

I would save money and would not repeat the fibroscan to get CAP score. It would not be different than it was 1 month ago.

4.8 or 3.9 it is pretty the same normal range.

[Corin1950]

Hi KyleI don’t really understand why the machine only gave a KPA score. Did they say that was the case?

I’m new to all this but went for a fibroscan yesterday following a private consultation and got scores of 4.0 KPA which I was told was no scarring

and 270 CAP which showed fatty liver at the top end of mild. Moderate to severe is 275-400. The consultant said I should try to get my score down to 240 by losing weight. He said any diet so long as you lose weight and keep it off. He said to have another fibroscan in a years time to see if any developments. My advice would be not to bother having another scan as 3;9 should indicate no scarring but continue with the healthy diet/ exercise to see if you can reduce the fat in your liver to as near 240 as possible. If you are getting anxious then maybe get one in 6 months. The other issue from what I’ve read is different machines can give different results and it also must depend on which area of your liver the probe scans. That could depend on the expertise of the person carrying in out. So I think the results could vary a bit. As I said I’m new to all this and in a steep learning curve.

All the best

X

[Kylewillmott in reply to Corin1950]

For me, I think getting a few scans at different places over the course of a year is a good idea. I got the private one pre lifestyle and health changes, the one I got a month later was after changing almost everything and my KPA dropped 0.8. Even though it didn’t provide a CAP (very annoying) logically what I’ve done has worked. So next I will get a private Fibro in 3 months and another one in 6 months. I’m going private and to liver specialists just because the level of care I am finding from NHS GPS at the moment is very poor, I think due to being overworked and Covid effects. Im also finding NAFLD is not being taken that seriously by some.

[MINTVCX in reply to Kylewillmott]

Dropping 0.8 kpa (when all is normal level) does not make any different (also the same when you for example will have next fibroscan and it will show 5.8 kpa). In my opinion you get it wrong. Following your concept all people should have 2.5 kpa to be most healthy (the lowest possible value).

Fibroscan shows liver stiffness which is correlated with fibrosis. But is median from around 10 samples. Moreover even healthy liver stiffness is slightly different for everyone. That't why 6.0 kpa is not worse result than 3.0 kpa.

Please check this with your liver specialist to avoid further concerns.

[Kylewillmott in reply to MINTVCX]

Sorry I’m not really understanding your responses.

I’m repeating what the person who performed my send fibroscan stated. My KPA fell from 4.8 to 3.9 within a month. I have no idea on what the CAP score did as the second fibroscan did not measure CAP. When I shared with the person doing my fibroscan what my last scan a month prior had read, he stated based on this result I would have lost fat on my liver 🤷‍♂️.

However, I am getting another fibroscan within the next two months privately which measures both CAP and KPA.

[MINTVCX in reply to Kylewillmott]

Ok sorry for confusing you. Please just follow your hepatologist. Good luck.

[Kylewillmott in reply to MINTVCX]

Not ur fault. Just me understanding is slow sometimes.

I haven’t got one! Hospital wouldn’t refer me, so I’m going private.

Thanks

[Hidden]

Hi,

Not all FibroScan machines have a CAP measurement.

Best wishes.

[Kylewillmott in reply to Hidden]

I understand that now.

However isn’t CAP as important as KPA?

[Hidden in reply to Kylewillmott]

One is a measurement of steatosis and one is a fibrosis measurement. It depends on what the clinician requests to know.

[Kettl]

Mine was the same it only read CAP. For me I wasn’t too concerned. I was concerned I had severe fibrosis so the rest I can do something about. It’s annoying but if you are eating a diet to reduce fatty liver and exercising there is not much else you can be doing to reduce the fatty liver anyway. Eat well, exercise and enjoy life.

[Kylewillmott in reply to Kettl]

Yeah for sure.

I will get another one done in the next 3 months privately in London to see what has happened with the CAP. It’s just odd to me the other one didn’t record it.