Anyone had an MRE ?

[Ruggerhead]

I actually inquired as to where I might get an MRE done in Ireland and the consultant i asked have never heard of it. I tried to explain that I think that its like a normal MRI but that they use some sort of extra plate to get a better look at the liver. I cant seem to find anyone that does it in Ireland. Im just not convinced of Fibroscan results and want to get a better idea of how much stiffness I have. You here so many advantages and disadvantages of various non invasive tests. From enhanced Liver bloods, Fibrosure? Ultrsound, MRI, MRE, fibroscan etc.

[MINTVCX]

Hi. If you have time you can read this:

"Non-invasive in vivo Imaging Grading of Liver Fibrosis"

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

But the best to find some hepatologist first. Then he/she can know what is available regarding liver tests in Ireland.

[LeiL in reply to MINTVCX]

Thanks for posting the link. I found it very helpful.

[pushthrough]

Hello Ruggerhead. The mre is the best test you could have to confirm you have cirrhosis and other complications from what I was told. They are fairly new though. You are right about the vibrating paddle and mri. I had one and my specialist knew right away I barely went into the cirrhotic stage. They are hard to find because very few places have them and extremely expensive. In the state of florida only a few places have them. And we pay a lot for medical in the USA as you know. I still have doubts about my diagnosis but I think I’m just in denial.

[Ruggerhead in reply to pushthrough]

Thanks yeah very costly. Think I will have to accept that I have a liver problem. Probably better to know now rather than a later stage. My problem is despite what I do I’m moving through the gears fairly quickly. Hopefully we both can stop it getting worse, I’m at Nash stage.

[pushthrough in reply to Ruggerhead]

You can address that I believe. Mine was alcohol they say. So haven’t drank in over a year! It certainly stinks having liver disease that’s for sure!

[MINTVCX in reply to pushthrough]

As I found MRE is in fact pretty new tool and the advantage of this method is testing stiffness of entire liver which even biopsy for obvious reason cannot do. On the other hand it is still indirect method and inflammation like in NASH can ovestimate the result. But as I read is in fact the best imaging tool for staging fibrosis on sofar studies (but not validated for all liver disease yet). Very promising but as you pointed out very expensive and unavaible widly. For example here in Poland I think only in clinical tests. Not sure but I think it was invented in the USA. Can you write please how much did you spend on your test? Or your insurence did cover it?

[LeiL in reply to MINTVCX]

I’ve had two and each time my insurance covered the full cost with the exception of a $100.00 co-pay covered by a secondary insurance. The cost was billed as the same price as a basic MRI. Except for the paddle placed on the stomach portion ,which took about 5 minutes, it was identical to an MRI. The total procedure time was less than 30 minutes.

[MINTVCX in reply to LeiL]

Than you. BTW I read your story and as I understand you had false positive F3 via biopsy (or better some human/sample error which turned out later). Not good for "golden standard" but no test is perfect. In your case your fibroscan results were the same as MRE - no fibrosis. Anyway pretty long and rather disturbing emotion journal for you. Take care.

[LeiL]

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