Has anyone ever had a repeat fibroscan ?

[Cody23]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has had a repeat fibroscan ? I got diagnosed in May with PBC due to elevated ALP(991) now 336 after 5 weeks on Urso. Initial fibroscan showed reading of 39.5 although ultrasound cane back normal. Today I had endoscopy to check for oesophageal varices which thankfully weren’t present. Now my consultant is wanting to run a repeat fibroscan to check if this was accurate reading in first place ?

[Skypony]

Hi Cody23, sounds like you’re having a good response to Urso! I’ve had a fibroscan repeated because the operator felt the spread of readings was too broad to be accurate; some were normal and others pretty high. When repeated a few months later the results were uniformly normal. No explanation, but it happens. Seems like a good idea to repeat yours. Best wishes

[Cody23 in reply to Skypony]

Thank you. I’m hoping to get it done pretty soon And hopefully will show some improvement x

[Hidden]

Hi

How are you feeling tonight?

I haven't had a repeat fibroscan but I'm sure someone will be along who can help you more than I can. Take care Lynne

[Cody23 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks lynne , feel ok apart from being a bit sluggish from the sedation but hopefully be ok by tomorrow. X

[periwinkle88]

I've had two fibroscans, two years apart. The first was before I started urso and my result was 7.2. The second was two years later (after I'd been on urso two years), and my result was 4.5 (normal). One thing I learned is that you shouldn't eat for 2 or 3 hours before the fibroscan because it can negatively affect your results.

[kimphoebe]

Hi there

I read somewhere that if there is a lot of inflammation in the liver the reading can be high. Don’t know where I read this though. I’ve had about 6 fibroscan now and my reading at the moment is 11.6 it as been 16. 4. I have been dx with cirrhosis and I am a nonreponder to uso, so I am on a clinical trial. I think it can depend on the operator of the scan. Last time it took them ages to find my liver but when I go to my local hospital it’s done in no time.

[YvonneGS]

My husband has had a couple of them. They are just one tool in the arsenal, and non-invasive at least. I am sure there will be more in the future.

[Jeanb47]

I’ve had 3 fibroscans. My specialist does one routinely, as part of my follow ups. First one one was 7.5. I had a biopsy about a month following which put me at stage F1-f2. My second fibroscan was Oct 2018, and it was 9.5. I just had my follow up in June 2019 and fibroscan is now 14.5. . I’ve had a repeat biopsy to check for stage and how my liver is holding out, and I’m awaiting results. My specialist does the scan himself so should be accurate. Always on the same scanner and he knows what he is doing. Great you are responding to URSO. keep well. J

[PBCRobert Partner]

It is perfectly normal and good clinical practice to have many fibroscans over the years.

[Maureen25]

I had 3 in the last 7 months the last one this week can only get half a reading it keeps failing.

[gwillistexas]

I’ve not had a repeat. I have one yearly. I will say I wasn’t as confident with the technician that did my second one. I’m scheduled again August 15th.

[billhunter]

Every reading comes with a "standard deviation" which means that you will always know how accurate the result is. I had a figure of 26, then another a few weeks later at 7.3, both with low standard deviation (I.e. just over 1). Other tests show that liver is in a not good condition so more likely that closer to 26 is correct. This was a total shock as I thought that Fibroscan was the best test of liver condition. My conclusion is that both tests were correct but that the sets of readings were not evenly distributed across the liver. Don't forget that the technician has to get readings between the ribs and it may be that all the individual tests may have come from a very localised area. My thought is that Fibroscan is not as good a test as some might make out and the straight ultrasound may give a better overall picture together with the blood tests.

[gwillistexas in reply to billhunter]

True. And the rib can also give off a vibration that fibroscan detects as fibrotic or a problem . I only know this from my liver nurse who had hands on training on fibroscan.

[JaneAnderson1966]

Hi, I had my first fibroscan in May and I think the reading was 8.4 which I believe indicates some liver stiffness (7 is normal). However, last week I had another one as I am part of a clinical research project. This reading was 6.8. Was told that the fibroscan is really sensitive to what you have eaten and that might account for my different readings - I had been asked to fast for at least 8 hours (actually hadn't eaten a thing for 14 hours). Apparently readings can be higher if you have eaten acidic fruits (grapefruit particularly bad). Hope this information is some use.

Good luck!