|  Liver cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer deaths in Hong Kong. Many liver cancer cases are associated with liver cirrhosis. Chronic hepatitis B and C, diabetes mellitus, alcohol, obesity and long term usage of some of drug are common causes of liver cirrhosis. When cirrhosis worsens, it can progress to liver cancer and liver failure. As liver fibrosis is the early pathological process of liver cirrhosis, assessment of liver fibrosis has become an important clinical parameter to predict the risk of liver-related complications.
Assessment of Liver FibrosisĦJ
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Advantage
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Risk
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Liver Biopsy |
• Gold standard for assessment of liver fibrosis
• Detects inflammation as well as fibrosis |
• Invasive method
• Tissue is obtained from liver with risk of bleeding. |
(FibroScan  ) New
( More details ) |
• Noninvasive method
• Allows accurate assessment of liver fibrosis |
• Not suitable for obese patients
• Cannot detects inflammation in the liver |
Liver Ultrasonography |
• Noninvasive method
• Good for finding abnormalities in the liver, such as cancer or steatohepatitis.
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• Could only access serious cirrhosis, unable to identify liver fibrosis. |
Blood Test |
• A marker of infectivity and detection of elevated liver enzymes in inflammations |
• Unable to identify liver fibrosis. |
Charges (Click here for details)
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