fibroscan

[Doraflora]

so hubby had his fibroscan a couple of weeks ago & the person who was doing it said he had no scarring and had “some” fat on his liver, not unusual in someone of nearly 79.

However, he saw the report sent to his doctor yesterday. It wasn’t “some” fat on his liver, but actually 67%!

But On a positive note:

He’s got no scarring of the liver, is at a low risk of fibrosis (kPa of 6.4 - putting him in the F0 category ). Steatosis CAP score of 289

He’s just got to reduce his alcohol a bit (not that it’s excessive!) and there’s no need for any referral, just another fibroscan review in 3 years!

I was just wondering if the fat can fluctuate at any time or does it stay the same? We’d just come back from a 2-week AI holiday 4 days before the scan & we’d let our normally relatively healthy diet lax considerably during those two weeks.

[Smegmer]

Take the good news ! No Fibrosis ! Liver has a normal fat content of up to 5%, so yeh, that is high. 79yo ? I would say its down to metabolism, the best way for him to get rid is to stop alcohol for the foreseable and cut down carbs and sugars and most importantly, get some excercise.

[Doraflora in reply to Smegmer]

At nearly 79 he won’t stop the alcohol - full stop. He’s just been advised to cut down a bit.

He’s definitely not an alcoholic and he’s got a chronic degenerative spinal condition to deal with and at that age he wants to enjoy his life. Our diet is pretty good tbh.

[Smegmer in reply to Doraflora]

His call I guess. I can understand, no immediate danger, why eat lettice and have no fun when you are 79yo ?

[Doraflora in reply to Smegmer]

Exactly!

And his spine condition isn’t great. He’s at great risk if he decides on the surgery (with no guarantee of it being successful). And he knows it will deteriorate over time without surgery 😒

[Smegmer in reply to Doraflora]

Anyway, to answer your question, no, that level of fat doesn't just appear because he has overindulged on a holiday recently. It takes years to build up, but I would guess it is age and the slowing down of his metabolism. Can take a long time to dissipate too.

[AyrshireK]

The 67% or S3 (Steatosis Grade 3) is coming from his CAP score of 289 (though technically the cut off is 290 for S2 into S3). So, about 67% of his liver being fatty is probably on the mark.

About Your CAP score

Your healthcare provider will use your CAP score to find out your steatosis grade. Your CAP score is measured in decibels per meter (dB/m). This score will range from 100 dB/m to 400 dB/m. Your CAP score and steatosis grade can go up or down over time.

The following table shows ranges of CAP scores, and the matching steatosis grades. It shows how much of your liver is affected by fat buildup. Normal livers can have up to 5% of fatty changes in them. A score below 238 dB/m means the amount of fatty change in your liver is not higher than normal.

CAP Score Steatosis grade Portion of your liver affected by fatty change

238 to 260 dB/m S1 Less than ⅓ (11% to 33%)

260 to 290 dB/m S2 Between ⅓ and ⅔ (34% to 66%)

290 to 400 dB/m S3 More than ⅔ (67%)

At the youthful age of almost 79 and no fibrosis his liver should see him ok for the rest of his days, just give the liver a little bit more TLC but continue to enjoy life.

Katie

[Doraflora in reply to AyrshireK]

Thanks Katie - As always. You’re always supportive. x