I had a Fibroscan 3 months ago as an earlier US diagnosed I had cirrhosis. I have fatty liver and a LSM of 28.2 . I have given up alcohol completely since then. I asked the consultant when will I have another Fibroscan . He told me in about a year. I was hoping to have another one much sooner so I could see if I was improving . What is the normal frequency for Fibroscans and US scans. I have not been offered any other type of scans.
What are other peoples experiences of this
Thanks
John
wow crazy! I had fibroscan 3 months ago also, the result was 75. Was not diagnosed however.. recently had mri and ct with contrast. MRI showed stigmata of portal hypertension possible early fibrosis however it also said no frank cirrhosis. I’m very confused myself and quite frankly very irritated as the liver specialist has not gotten back to me! They diagnosed you from just the fibroscan? Any hepatic blood work done or mri, ct? I also had ultrasound again no word from dr but the write up on the ultrasound also said no clear evidence of cirrhosis? It’s 2024 and at roughly 10000 dollars here in the US they can’t straight out tell from the different scans???! Next I’m supposed to have a tranjugular liver biopsy. Which I’ve read is the “gold standard” to determine but also read they could get a sample from one place or another on the liver and depending they could show two different things? Wondering what your situation is though? I see the liver specialist July 18 I’m probably going to can cancel the biopsy until I can get some straight answers on all the scans first and ask her why I need a biopsy specifically if that is the case then so be it but why not just order the biopsy straight out and skip the other scans!!?? I really don’t understand and personally I have been torturing myself with the do I or don’t I have cirrhosis. Sorry for rambling. I can tell you blood work results do not lie. I will still insist on them at least every month! Also did they start any treatment for your cirrhosis with any meds? I would love to hear from you about what their “plan is to help you going forward. I will definitely let you know what the specialist says about everything going on on my end. I do wish you the best for sure! You take care!
Hi and sorry you are going through this, I had 2 fibroscans while in hospital (U.K.) back in 2023 which they couldn’t get a reading from because of the ascites I assume and then a month or so after I was discharged I had one at the drug and alcohol rehab place I was attending and again they couldn’t get a reading, but to be honest t I don’t think they particularly knew how to fully operate the machine.
Then in June 2023 I had another and it come back as 22.2kpa and over 360 cap score. 6 months after that I had another and it went down to 9.kpa and 144 for the cap score. June just gone I had my 6 monthly check up with my hep doctor and he said there was no need for another fibroscan after I requested one and he tried to sway me from having one, saying technically under the NICE guidelines I wasn’t due one until next year 2025. But I pushed for one and so I had it done, the machine only measured liver stiffness and it came back 9.9kpa.
I’ve been told US scans are every 6 months, but can be cut down to 1 a year depending on how previous scans have went, where as fibroscans are different and it may be 1 every year or 1 every 2 years.
Me personally, I’ve always pushed for everything and anything relating to my health, more bloods, more scans and if you are prepared to wait on the day or demand one, they can’t really refuse you.
This is here in the U.K. where I reside so o don’t know what it’s like in other countries or even at other hospitals here in the U.K., my own hospital is one of the leading liver care centres in the U.K. so they are more than capable of performing various tests on request. I’ve never been refused having my bloods taken for example. Good luck with regards to your situation and take care hopefully you will ge more answers soon and they are all good ones.
Hi, on the British liver trust website they have a 'patient charter' what to expect in your care. This may be helpful.Hilary x
Fibroscan is a diagnostic test, not a check up test.Most Drs never repeat fibroscans as it adds nothing to the diagnosis.
Regardless of the score you have cirrhosis and only symptoms indicate severity, not numbers on a fibroscan.
Hi Roy1955
Thanks for your reply. My understanding of the Fibroscan test is that the numbers gives an indication of how severe the condition is. If I then stop drinking I am told my condition will either get less severe or stay the same. I think therefore to have a repeat test at least 6 months after will tell me if the effort I have put in has done any good. To me it is worth having a repeat scan even from a mental anguish point of view. It may add nothing to the diagnosis but it is beneficial and I think it should be done on request.
I totaly agree about the mental aspect and I paid for private scans!But once you get over the panic of the first diagnosis you begin to learn it's all about symptoms and not so much about numbers.
I got such a variation of scores i stopped trusting fibroscan as a measure.
Once I got a 10 and a 16 on the same machine a few mins apart.
fibroscan results range from 9 to 20! 
Recent fibroscan
Fibroscan
Fibroscan and Alcoholic Hepatitis
Ultrasound vs. fibroscan 
