Scan offers liver patients alternative to biopsies

The Queen’s Medical Center has begun using a new noninvasive liver scan technology to reduce the need for painful and costly biopsies for patients with liver disease.

The FibroScan, newly approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, uses vibration to measure elasticity or stiffness of a patient’s liver, a key factor in determining the extent of liver damage or how well a treatment is working. Doctors can then identify appropriate treatment and medication.

"We can now measure the progress of their treatments without having them undergo repeated biopsies," said Naoky Tsai, medical director of the Queen’s Liver Center and Liver Transplant Program.

Prior to the new technology, patients would undergo biopsies that involve a 6-inch needle inserted into the liver, a risky procedure that can lead to bleeding or unintended perforation of other organs. A part of the tissue would be cut and extracted for testing, which could take several hours and cost between $3,000 and $4,000.

Queen’s physicians are now using a probe similar to an ultrasound used on pregnant women. The device measures the time it takes for a vibration to travel through the liver. Vibrations travel faster through diseased livers. The process takes roughly 10 minutes at a cost of $150 to $200 and can be repeated each year to track progression.

The more affordable FibroScan tests can also help bring in patients who have been postponing the procedure for fear of the cost and painful nature of the old tests, Queen’s said.

"FibroScan is now part of our arsenal in the fight against liver disease, along with exciting new medications and treatment options," Tsai said. "The outlook for our patients has never been brighter."

In addition, there is no recovery time since the procedure is noninvasive.

However, the new technology doesn’t eliminate the need for biopsies, which is necessary to diagnose diseases such as cancer.

Liver disease is the fourth leading cause of death among adults between the ages of 45 and 54. Ten percent of Americans suffer from the illness, with many not knowing they have it, according to the American Liver Foundation.