Has your doctor suggested a liver ultrasound, but you don’t know what it entails? Maybe you have an ultrasound scan approaching and want to know what to expect? A liver ultrasound can sound scary, but our guide today will put your mind at ease.
Today, we will walk you through a liver ultrasound, including the prep, procedure, and follow-up, so you know what to expect.
What Is A Liver Ultrasound?
A liver ultrasound scan is a painless imaging test that examines your liver and its surrounding area. Liver ultrasounds take pictures inside your body, bounding high-frequency sound waves off your organs. They don’t make any audible sounds, and you will only feel the sonographer moving a probe on your skin. The probe looks like a wand and will not cause any pain.
Four types of ultrasounds can be performed on your liver, including:
- Standard ultrasound (scanning your upper right abdominal quadrant)
- Vascular ultrasound (a Doppler ultrasound)
- Elastography ultrasound (transient elastography)
- Constant Ultrasound (CEUS)
These ultrasounds operate in a similar way, but we will cover any differences in detail below.
Why Would You Need A Liver Ultrasound?
A liver ultrasound is a preliminary test that allows doctors to view your liver, usually to help diagnose liver disease. Jaundice or pain in the upper right quadrant are usual symptoms that can confirm liver disease. An ultrasound is a quicker way to confirm liver disease than a blood test and allows doctors to check on your liver after a diagnosis to monitor your liver health.
A liver scan can also reveal fat storage in your liver, which can confirm steatotic liver disease, swelling and inflammation, which can be hepatitis and scar tissue, which could indicate fibrosis or cirrhosis. These are also the main stages of chronic liver disease, and a fatty liver revealed on an ultrasound can confirm this.
Should your doctor suspect you have liver disease, an ultrasound will be suggested to provide a quick confirmation and help your doctor create a treatment plan.
A liver ultrasound can also help to confirm liver cancer. An ultrasound can reveal a tumour or liver lesions, which can be used to confirm a cancer diagnosis. An ultrasound will reveal how large a tumour is, allowing your doctor to create a comprehensive treatment plan.
What Happens During A Liver Ultrasound?
A liver ultrasound is a straightforward procedure and is often very quick. There is some preparation beforehand, such as a quick scan, and usually, the results are revealed quickly. To help you understand the process, we have outlined the prep, procedure, and follow-up below.
Prep
Very little preparation is needed for a liver ultrasound. In some cases, you might be asked to fast before the scan. This will involve not eating for six to twelve hours before your scan. Doing so ensures that your digestive system is empty and that food and gas do not interfere with ultrasound waves. It also allows your gallbladder to dilate, making it easier to view your liver.
Your doctor will advise you on where to drink water before your scan or if liquids should be avoided a few hours before. In some scans, a full bladder can be helpful, and your doctor will inform you which is best for you.
Procedure
Generally, the procedure for a liver ultrasound is the same regardless of the type of ultrasound. You will attend an imaging centre or hospital where you will need to lay on an exam table face up. You will be asked to lift your top to reveal your abdomen, so wear something loose-fitting.
You will have a warmed gel applied to your abdomen. This is usually clear and hypoallergenic and provides smooth contact with your skin and the ultrasound transducer wand. The wand will look like a microphone connected to a computer console, where the images will be displayed.
The wand will move the gel around your stomach, and you might feel pressure. You will usually feel the pressure if you are very sore; otherwise, there will be no pain or pressure. As the wand moves, images will be taken and shown in real time on the screen. Snapshots and short videos will be taken as your sonographer moves the wand. You might be asked to adjust your position or breathing where needed to provide a clear picture.
The procedure can vary slightly, and look at different parts of your liver; we have outlined them below.
Standard Liver Ultrasound
A standard liver ultrasound is a modified abdominal ultrasound, sometimes called an upper right quadrant ultrasound. It looks at your liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, part of your pancreas, and right kidney. As these are all connected within your biliary system, your sonographer will look at them, but the main focus will be on your liver.
Vascular Liver Ultrasound
A vascular liver ultrasound focuses on the blood vessels in your liver. These are examined to see your blood flow through your liver, which can help diagnose issues with your blood flow or the health of your liver. The ultrasound images are combined with Doppler ultrasound images, which record blood cell speed and direction to provide a clearer picture of what is happening in your liver.
Elastography Ultrasound
An elastography ultrasound, or transient elastography, measures the fibrosis or stiffness in your liver. Fibrosis is caused by scar tissue, with little indicating chronic liver disease and a lot indicating cirrhosis.
During an elastography ultrasound, your sonographer will use a special transducer that measures how fast vibrations travel through your liver, with a faster speed indicating fibrosis.
Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound
A contrast-enhanced ultrasound, or CEUS, offers clearer images of lesions. The use of contrast makes lesions easier to identify. A CEUS comes with a little extra preparation, as you will have a contrast agent injected into your vein before your test. This will travel into your liver through your bloodstream, reflecting sonographic waves during the scan.
What Is The Follow-Up Of A Liver Ultrasound?
After your liver ultrasound, the images will be sent to a radiologist. They will study the images and write a detailed report of their findings. In some cases, they might be able to discuss the findings with you immediately, but this varies depending on your provider.
When they are unavailable, the report will be sent to your primary healthcare provider, and an appointment will be arranged to discuss your results if needed. It can take anywhere from a few days to weeks for your results to be delivered. Your provider should contact you with an appointment or deliver the results over the phone during this time.
After your scan, you can return home and eat and drink normally. Many people can return to work afterwards, as the scan is painless and non-invasive.
In some cases, you might require further tests to determine your liver disease type. This might be a blood test or biopsy, where they will confirm any sports or lesions on your liver.
What Are The Benefits Of A Liver Ultrasound?
A liver ultrasound has several benefits, making it a first choice for many providers. Ultrasound is safe, noninvasive, and painless. No radiation exposure or foreign materials enters your body, making it a safe option for all patients.
The contrast agent used in CEUS is also considered safe. Unlike other contrasts, it is a gas that uses small bubbles to reflect the waves from the scan. The gas and gel are considered hypoallergenic, reducing the risk of an allergic reaction.
Another benefit of an ultrasound is how fast the imaging test is. Not only does it allow your provider to provide many patients with scans, but it also allows you to have the scan quickly and get your diagnosis.
What Are The Risks Of A Liver Ultrasound?
There are no known risks linked to a liver ultrasound, making it safe to use. However, depending on your sonographer’s technique, there is a slim chance that your ultrasound might not work. In some rare cases, your body can block the sound waves, making your scan ineffective. Calcification, fatty tissue, and intestinal gas can sometimes interfere with an ultrasound scan.
Interpreting the images can also involve some errors, as this is a manual process. However, since an ultrasound is the first test your provider provides, you don’t need to worry too much about inadequate results or inaccuracies. A follow-up is often offered, where other tests can be used to confirm your diagnosis and provide a treatment plan.
Final Thoughts
A liver ultrasound is a quick and easy scan that can be used to confirm liver disease and can spot tumours or lesions. The scan will usually take around thirty minutes and gives your doctor a clear image of your liver, blood vessels, and tissues. Several types of ultrasounds are available, all of which are painless and safe for patients. These tests are the first step in diagnosing liver disease and can be used to monitor your liver health.
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