Elastography
Reviewed
Also called: Liver Elastography, Transient Elastography, FibroScan, MR Elastography
Elastography is a type of imaging test that checks your organs, especially the liver, to see if they are stiffer than normal.
Specimen: Not applicable
Why this test may be ordered
- To check for liver fibrosis (scarring) in people with liver disease or at high risk
- To help diagnose liver conditions and guide treatment choices
- To monitor how well treatment for liver disease is working
- To check how much fat is in the liver and predict serious problems
Preparation and collection
Your provider will tell you how to prepare for a liver elastography. You may be told to fast (not eat or drink) for several hours before your test. If you're having an MRE, you'll need to remove all metal from your body. If you have any medical devices or metal inside your body let your provider know. The scanner can heat metal and cause burns.
You'll lie on a table and the technician will spread a special gel on your skin. You'll hold your breath for 10 to 15 seconds while the device sends a series of vibrations into a specific organ. You may feel the device pulse against your skin, but it doesn't hurt. MRE (magnetic resonance elastography) is done with an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine.
There are no known risks to having an ultrasound elastography. There is little risk to having an MRE for most people. If being inside a small space makes you nervous, tell your provider before your test. If you are or could be pregnant, let your provider know.
Understanding results
Your results will show how much stiffness was found in a specific organ. If an elastography test was used to check your liver, the results will tell you how much liver scarring (fibrosis) you have.
- F0 to F1 (normal): F0 to F1 is normal, which means you have little or no scarring in your liver. Limitation: Certain conditions can affect the accuracy of an elastography test. These include: Liver inflammation (swelling) from an illness or drinking alcohol, Tumors in your liver, Obesity, Abnormal fluid buildup in your abdomen (belly). Next step: If you have questions about your results, talk with your provider.
- F2 (moderate scarring): F2 means you have moderate scarring. Limitation: Certain conditions can affect the accuracy of an elastography test. Next step: If you have mild to severe fibrosis and/or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, your condition can improve if you treat the cause and make lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise.
- F3 (severe scarring): F3 means you have severe scarring. Limitation: Certain conditions can affect the accuracy of an elastography test. Next step: If you have mild to severe fibrosis and/or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, your condition can improve if you treat the cause and make lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise.
- F4 (cirrhosis): F4 means you have cirrhosis (very severe scarring). Limitation: Certain conditions can affect the accuracy of an elastography test. Next step: If you have cirrhosis, treating the cause may keep liver scarring from getting worse. Successful treatment may slowly improve some of the scarring.
- Liver inflammation (swelling) from illness or alcohol can affect accuracy
- Tumors in the liver can affect accuracy
- Obesity can affect accuracy
- Abnormal fluid buildup in the abdomen (ascites) can affect accuracy
What to do next
If you have questions about your results, talk with your provider.
- Do you have any known liver disease (e.g., hepatitis B or C, fatty liver) or risk factors such as alcohol use, diabetes, or obesity?
- Have you experienced symptoms like fatigue, poor appetite, unexplained weight loss, nausea, or right-sided abdominal pain?
- Are you currently taking any medications that could affect your liver?
- Do you have any metal implants or devices, or a history of claustrophobia (if considering MRE)?
- Have you had previous liver tests showing inflammation or damage?
Evidence source
Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus). Practices and reference ranges may differ in your country.