What is Liver cirrhosis?

A degenerative disease of the liver resulting in scarring and liver failure

How is Liver cirrhosis diagnosed?

transient elastography or acoustic radiation force impulse imaging

What are the main causes of Liver cirrhosis?

• alcohol
• non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
• viral hepatitis (B and C)

What is transient elastography?

• uses a 50-MHz wave is passed into the liver from a small transducer on the end of an ultrasound probe
• measures the 'stiffness' of the liver which is a proxy for fibrosis

What further investigations should be carried out in people with Liver cirrhosis?

• upper endoscopy to check for varices in patient's with a new diagnosis of cirrhosis
• liver ultrasound every 6 months (+/- alpha-feto protein) to check for hepatocellular cancer