Earlier Diagnosis Due to New Technique

The healthy liver is very soft compared to most other tissues and especially compared to a liver with cirrhosis, which is rock hard. The development by Richard Ehman, M.D., Mayo researcher and lead investigator on the study and his colleagues applies vibrations to the liver and then utilizes a modified form of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to obtain pictures of the mechanical waves passing through the organ. The imaging can be accomplished in as little as 20 seconds. The wave pictures are then processed to generate a quantitative image of tissue stiffness - called an elastogram.

Researchers compared results of the process on 12 patients with biopsy-proven liver fibrosis with those of 12 healthy participants. This pilot trial of Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) showed strikingly elevated stiffness in patients with fibrosis and that the stiffness increased with the progression of the condition.

Liver fibrosis is a common condition that can lead to incurable cirrhosis if not treated in time. Traditionally, liver fibrosis is diagnosed using needle biopsies, which can involve complications and may be inaccurate due to sampling errors. The new technology promises to provide an accurate, painless, and lower risk alternative to liver biopsy and may have implications for diagnosing cancer.


The availability of a reliable, non-invasive method for detecting liver fibrosis could lead to early diagnosis - in patients considered at risk for liver disease - and increase their chances for successful treatment.

COMPAMED.de; Source: Mayo Clinic