Elastography

Elastography is a type of imaging test that checks your organs to see if they are stiffer than normal. Stiff areas in your organs may be a sign of disease. Elastography is mainly used to check the liver for stiffness.

Stiff areas in the liver are a sign of scar tissue (fibrosis) caused by liver disease. Liver fibrosis happens when certain diseases damage the liver over time. When the liver tries to heal, it forms more scar tissue.

Many conditions that cause ongoing or repeated liver damage can lead to liver fibrosis. Conditions that commonly cause fibrosis include: Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B. These liver diseases are caused by viruses.; Alcohol use disorder (AUD).

AUD can cause alcohol-associated liver disease, which includes the buildup of too much fat in the liver. The fat can cause liver inflammation (swelling) which damages liver tissue.; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This type of fat buildup often happens in people who have diabetes, obesity, and/or high levels of cholesterol in their blood.

It is not from drinking too much alcohol.; As fibrosis develops, scar tissue replaces healthy liver cells and prevents your liver from working normally. The scar tissue can reduce blood flow in your liver. The lack of blood causes more liver damage and more fibrosis.

Without treatment, fibrosis can become severe. Severe fibrosis is called cirrhosis. With cirrhosis, liver scarring is permanent.

It can cause serious health problems, including liver failure. Cirrhosis also increases your chance of getting liver cancer. Fibrosis and early cirrhosis don't always cause symptoms.

But elastography can help find liver scarring early, so treatment can start before the damage becomes severe. There are two types of liver elastography tests: Ultrasound elastography is also called transient elastography. An ultrasound device uses sound waves to send vibrations into your liver.

The device measures how fast the vibrations move through your liver. If you have areas of stiff liver tissue, the vibrations will move faster through that area. A computer uses the measurements to make an image that shows any stiffness in your liver tissue, which is a sign of fibrosis.; MRE (magnetic resonance elastography) sends vibrations into your liver that are measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

MRI is a procedure that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create images of organs and structures inside the body. In an MRE test, a computer program makes a map that shows any stiff areas of your liver.;

Why this test is done

You may need an elastography test to check for liver fibrosis (scarring) if you:

• Have liver disease and your health care provider needs information to guide treatment choices.
• Have had other liver tests that show you may have inflammation or damage in your liver.
• Are more likely to develop cirrhosis (severe liver scarring). Conditions that increase your risk for cirrhosis include:
• Alcohol use disorder (AUD)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Chronic (long-lasting) hepatitis B or C
• Certain autoimmune diseases or genetic disorders
• Long-term use of certain medicines
• Have signs or symptoms of cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis may not cause symptoms until your liver is badly damaged. Symptoms of early cirrhosis may include:

• Feeling tired or weak
• Having a poor appetite
• Losing weight without trying
• Nausea and vomiting
• Mild pain in the upper ride side of your abdomen (belly)

As your liver condition gets worse, you may have other symptoms, including:

• Bruising and bleeding easily
• Confusion, memory loss, or sleep disorders
• Swelling in your legs or feet
• Bloating or full feeling in your abdomen from fluid buildup
• Itchy skin
• Dark urine (pee)
• Jaundice (a condition that causes your skin and eyes to turn yellow)

How to prepare

Your provider will tell you how to prepare for a liver elastography. In general, it's best to wear a loose-fitting shirt or sweater that you can easily pull up. 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.

Other names for this test

liver elastography, transient elastography, FibroScan, MR elastography