Elastometry of the liver. Fibroscanning of the liver
One of the most important organs in a person is the liver, because it works almost on wear, daily performing a huge number of functions simultaneously. The impact of negative environmental factors and internal pathological changes are detrimental to the condition of this important organ.
Under what conditions of the body you need to urgently consult a specialist and what tests you need to take to check the liver, consider below.
Structure of the body
The area of the right hypochondrium, where the liver takes place, is protected from external and internal influences. This body in an adult can reach a weight of one and a half kilograms. The liver belongs to the glands of internal secretion.
Prismatic segments are the structural material of the organ. They are a small copy of the liver itself. Each of the lobules has its own blood supply in the form of small capillaries. Cells of the gland produce bile, which is necessary for the processing of food chyme.
The secret to the bile ducts goes into the gallbladder - a special sac, which is a depot for bile. And already from here enters the duodenum, participating further in the process of digestion. Although bile and produced continuously, but it enters the intestinal tract portionwise.
The circulatory system of the liver is quite complex and is represented by a large number of closely intertwined capillaries. Large vessels of the gland are the hepatic artery and portal vein, which carry blood from the aorta to the organs of the abdominal cavity and back. The close contact of the vessels with the bile ducts ensures the exchange of substances at the highest level.
Functional "duties" of the liver
The organ takes part in many processes simultaneously, performing complex functions:
- development of a secret for digestion( bile);
- inactivation of toxins, toxic substances and allergens;
- regulation of carbohydrate metabolism and replenishment of energy reserves;
- excretion of metabolic products from the body;
- participation in gluconeogenesis;
- deposition of vitamins.
In addition to participating in the process of digestion, the liver actively fights against foreign material that has entered the human body. After inactivation of toxic substances, accelerates the derivation of the exchange results( acetone, ketone bodies, ammonia, etc.).The synthesis function is of great importance. The liver synthesizes a number of hormones, proteins, cholesterol, bilirubin, bile acids and enzymes.
A special feature of the body is also self-healing. This is the only one of the glands of the human body that can restore its size to the original, having only a quarter of its tissue.
What are the symptoms indicating the need for examination?
Most patients seek help when the disease has already passed into the chronic course.
Obtaining specialist advice is necessary when the following clinic appears:
- Painful sensations in the right hypochondrium of the aching, cutting or cramping in the hepatic colic.
- Failure in digestion in the form of dyspeptic manifestations( vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, bloating).
- Subfebrile or elevated temperature to high rates.
- Appearance of pale skin or the acquisition of a yellowish hue.
- "Hepatic palms" - a symptom for cirrhosis of the liver or chronic course of hepatitis. The skin on the palms becomes red. When pressing on the hyperemic area, the redness disappears, but later appears again.
- Appearance of yellow spots.
- Itching of the skin and traces of scratching.
What tests should I take to check the liver?
Functional state of the organ can suffer due to various diseases, from infectious genesis to tumorous processes. After contacting a specialist and conducting an examination, a patient is assigned a set of measures to establish the correct diagnosis.
What tests should I take to check the liver:
- general blood and urine tests;
- elastometry of the liver;
- hepatography;
- liver scan;
- blood biochemistry and enzymes ALT, AST;
- additional blood counts - bilirubin, cholinesterase, total protein, phosphatase;
- ultrasound of the liver.
Fibroscanning - an innovation in the diagnosis
Elastometry of the liver is a modern examination method that is prescribed for suspected fibrosis. Before the appearance of this procedure, the study of the state of the cells of the hepatic tissue was possible only with the help of histology.
This procedure has a second name - liver fibroscans. The positive moment of diagnosis is its safety and absence of invasion into the patient's body. This makes it possible to control the course of the disease in dynamics.
Elastometric examination of the liver is performed using a special device that has a sensor. Through it pass ultrasonic vibrations, which are reflected by the tissues of the organ. The result is displayed on the monitor in the form of already processed information, where the level of elasticity of the gland is indicated.
The percentage of accuracy of the results is very high, and the time taken to receive the response is minimal. When compared with carrying out a biopsy, elastometry of the liver is leading in its functional features. The price of this procedure is about 4000 rubles.
Indications for
This safe method of examination is used even for diagnosis of diseases in children, because it does not require special preparation of the patient, does not cause complications from the body.
Elastometry of the liver is shown to the following patients:
- to people suffering from chronic liver diseases;
- for patients with viral hepatitis;
- patients with cirrhosis;
- for patients who are treated with antiviral drugs to assess the state of elasticity of the organ tissue before and after treatment;
- patients who abuse alcoholic beverages.
The procedure is carried out with the help of "Fibroscana".The patient is in a horizontal position, the arms are dilated, the bare chest and abdomen. The sensor is installed at the point where the right lobe of the liver is located. After selecting the investigated area, the device conducts several measurements, which are processed by a computer program. The result is displayed on the monitor.
Thus, the elastometry of the liver allows rapid and qualitative assessment of the functional state of the organ.