Understanding Liver Fibrosis
There is a continuum of scarring (fibrosis) that may occur with chronic liver disease.
There are manycomplications of cirrhosisthat lead to much of the illness and death related to chronic liver disease.
These tests, however, are an important adjunct in the evaluation treatment of the disease.
Illustration by Emily Roberts, Verywell
Radiological tests on the whole are limited in their ability to evaluate liver fibrosis.
Limitations
Like most evaluations, the METAVIR score has its strengths and weaknesses.
Small biopsy specimens may not allow physicians to adequately determine a score representative of the whole.
In this way, the score may either overestimate or underestimate the amount of inflammation or fibrosis present.
Your nurse will insert an IV and give you a sedative before the procedure begins.
You will be advised to avoid excessive activity or heavy lifting for the next week.
Interpreting Results
The pathologist will determine the METAVIR score of the sample evaluated.
The METAVIR score can help doctors gain insight and make an estimation about when cirrhosis may develop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is liver fibrosis reversible?
In later stages, thedamageto the liver is too great and the liver isn’t able to repair itself.
What do FibroScan results tell you?
This ultrasound test gives you two scores.
The CAP score tells you the amount of fatty change (steatosis) in your liver.
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