Digital imaging system may cut need for liver biopsies by 50%
A new non-invasive digital imaging system has cut the number of liver biopsies performed on patients with fatty liver disease in half, according to a study published in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
Researchers from the University of Birmingham and University of Edinburgh performed digital image scans on 50 patients, which were then analyzed by clinical imaging specialists. The team found the imaging system—LiverMultiScan—more effective in grading disease and severity and excluding patients at increased risk of disease progression than other tests, Clinical Innovation+Technology reports.
"Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is on the increase - the prevalence is estimated at around 20 to 30 percent in the U.K.,” said Philip Newsome, director of the University of Birmingham's Centre for Liver Research in a press release. "As numbers are expected to grow, this will undoubtedly have a major impact on the nation's health and will place a significant demand on NHS resources. The rising burden of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease calls for simpler and low risk strategies to manage this clinical problem that meet the needs of both clinicians and patients."
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Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.