Clinical Application of Non-invasive Diagnosis for Hepatic Fibrosis.
- Author:
Sung Won CHO
1
;
Jae Youn CHEONG
Author Information
1. Gastroenterology Department, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea. sung_woncho@hotmail.com
- Publication Type:Review ; English Abstract
- Keywords:
Hepatic fibrosis;
Diagnosis;
Liver cirrhosis
- MeSH:
Biological Markers/blood;
Chronic Disease;
Disease Progression;
Elasticity Imaging Techniques/methods;
Fibrosis;
Humans;
Hyaluronic Acid/analysis;
Liver/*pathology;
Liver Cirrhosis/*diagnosis/etiology
- From:The Korean Journal of Hepatology
2007;13(2):129-137
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Progressive hepatic fibrosis with development of cirrosis is a feature of chronic liver disease. Assessing fibrosis is important for predicting disease progression and patient management. Liver biopsy is the current gold standard for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis. However, liver biopsy is an invasive procedure. Alternative non-invasive methods have been developed. Serum markers are useful in predicting liver cirrhosis, but accuracy of serum markers is not satisfactory in the assessment of fibrosis. Newly developed transient elastography (Fibroscan) is a non-invasive method of measuring liver stiffness. Fibroscan has been reported to be superior in early detection of cirrhosis to serum markers. Factors influencing it's performance are not fully investigated. The evaluation of new tests should be continued to perform.
