Liver Elastography & Fat Quantification in Canberra
Liver elastography is a non-invasive ultrasound technique that assesses the stiffness of the liver, while fat quantification measures the amount of fat within it. Together they give your doctor useful information about liver health without the need for more invasive tests.
We perform these studies on the Philips EPIQ Elite with Elevate software, which includes shear-wave elastography — an advanced method for measuring liver tissue stiffness as part of a standard ultrasound appointment.
It's often requested for people being monitored for fatty liver, or where a doctor wants to track liver tissue over time.
Preparation: As with a standard upper-abdominal scan, please fast for at least 6 hours beforehand — no food, drinks, chewing gum or smoking. Take any essential medication with a small sip of water only, and avoid antacids or anti-reflux medication while fasting. If you have diabetes, bring a snack to eat afterwards.
What to expect: The study is performed like a normal abdominal ultrasound — gel on the skin and a probe moved over the upper abdomen — with the elastography measurements taken during the same appointment. It's painless and usually takes 20–30 minutes.
Billing: We are a mixed-billing practice. You'll be informed of the total cost, your Medicare rebate and any out-of-pocket expense beforehand.
Related scans: Abdominal Ultrasound