Liver disease affects over two million Canadians. Liver biopsy is the current standard of care for diagnosing, staging and monitoring liver disease. It is an invasive procedure associated with a...
Description
Liver disease affects over two million Canadians. Liver biopsy is the current standard of care for diagnosing, staging and monitoring liver disease. It is an invasive procedure associated with a number of risks including bleeding, hospitalization and death. Transient elastography (TE) is an alternative, non-invasive, method of staging and monitoring liver. The intent of this report is to use current literature to determine the safety, effectiveness, social considerations and cost-effectiveness of TE for the diagnosis, staging and monitoring of liver damage associated with various liver diseases and complications due to liver transplant. The report also reviews the use of TE in paediatric patients, the use of acoustic radiation force imaging, and non-liver applications of TE.