Can a Fibrescan fluctuate?

[acjb007]

I had a scan a few months ago which was 29kpa. I was told I'd get one every couple of years but weirdly they called me in for one a week ago. The score was 31kpa. Can a score go up and down depending on if I'd eaten or weight gain? Or should I be worried?

[Krista1]

I have had 3. My first was 59 about 6 months after being diagnosed with cirrhosis back in 2017 My second was about a year later and it had come down to 29. I just had one earlier this year which, coincidentally, was 31. It was explained to me that fluctuations happen so the score was deemed basically unchanged. They are testing random sections of the liver and some areas are bound to be more scarred than others, and they couldn't possibly target the same areas every scan. Although it did show signs of slight fatty liver. Which makes sense because I had gained weight since the previous scan. So I wouldn't worry too much. Just keep taking care of yourself. X

[acjb007 in reply to Krista1]

Thanks, this is really helpful!

[Krista1 in reply to acjb007]

No problem. It's all tricky when it comes to tests and scans!

[Cat-B]

Scans are a moment in time, so yes you get a different picture ( but usually the difference is small) I had 3 month then 6 and now yearly. Just to be clear blood tests are also a moment in time and they can be different in any hour. Please don’t worry, be glad they are keeping an eye on you.

[Roy1955]

If you had 3 fibroscans in a day the scores would not be the same.Each of the 10 "pings" gives a score and the average of the 10 gives the final result.

It can vary by several points.

My Dr says its not a useful tool for surveillance and refuses to use it for anything but first diagnosis.

[Cheetox2]

I don't have much faith in Fibroscans. In December 2021 I had a Fibroscan with a result of 22.5 kPA. I was terrified...that meant cirrhosis. Needless to say I stopped drinking and started taking much better care of myself. My liver team suggested I take part in a study group. I decided to do it. A few weeks later I went for my first consultation. They needed to monitor bloodwork and do a Fibroscan each week to make sure I could take part in the study. I noticed my Fibroscan score was 13.5 kPA. Still not great, but I thought that was good news (at least going in the right direction). When I went for my next visit they ripped up the previous Fibroscan and said they needed to do another one. Apparently I needed to be over 19.5 kPA to take part in the study. The tech did another fibroscan and it was even lower! She brought in another tech and they kept doing Fibroscans until they could get measurements over 19.5. They were basically faking my results. I had already been scheduled for a CT scan, so I decided to keep the appointment. A couple of weeks later they called to tell me that I could not be part of the study because the CT showed my liver disease was not as severe as it needed to be to take part in the study. They said how sorry they were...I was delighted! Like people say, a Fibroscan is only one tool in the toolbox and you need to consider everything to have an accurate picture of your liver health.

[acjb007 in reply to Cheetox2]

That's very interesting. Thanks for replying. I wish you well.

[Bookwormfanati]

I am due to have my first 1 of these in a couple of weeks after being diagnosed nearly 6 years ago! What are the numbers I should be concerned with? X

[acjb007 in reply to Bookwormfanati]

Good luck. Your specialist should explain everything to you. I think a score above 6kpa is of concern but very low. Mine was 75kpa for a few years and I lived a normal life. So I wouldn't let the score worry you too much. Mine is now 31kpa so has dropped massive through diet and exercise.

[Bookwormfanati in reply to acjb007]

Thank you so much been dreading it but feel better about it now x