FibroScan®
Benefits of SmartExam include
>> Extends the usage of FibroScan® technology among severely obese patients with deeper assessment of liver fibrosis and steatosis
>> Improves reliability of FibroScan® examinations in the diagnosis and monitoring of steatosis with Continuous Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP™)
>> Optimizes patient care with FibroScan® automation, allowing medical professionals more time dedicated to patients and less time performing exams
“SmartExam has improved our ability to obtain consistent, reliable images which translates to quality tests results for the clinician to utilize.” —Anna Fay, BSN, CBN, Expert Operator and FibroScan® User since October 2020
“SmartExam has improved our ability to obtain consistent, reliable images which translates to quality tests results for the clinician to utilize.” —Anna Fay, BSN, CBN, Expert Operator and FibroScan® User since October 2020During ObesityWeek, the Obesity Society’s annual conference provides a platform for learning about the latest innovations in evidence-based obesity science, promotes understanding of the ongoing personal and public health challenges in dealing with obesity and increases awareness of the range of health conditions obese patients can encounter.
Understanding the Link Between Obesity and NAFLD
Obesity is often caused by poor lifestyle choices, such as a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits. These lifestyle choices can lead to a build-up of liver cell fat, which causes cellular edema and the eventual liver steatosis indicative of NAFLD. Early diagnosis is a key factor in the successful treatment of NAFLD, especially in the early stages when patients may be asymptomatic.
According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE), the risk of NAFLD, a common co-morbidity of Type 2 diabetes, is two-to-threefold higher in individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or obesity. Patients with NAFLD are also at an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, certain cancers and metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors specific for cardiovascular disease that greatly raises the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke or all three.
When left unaddressed, NAFLD can lead to advanced liver disease such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis and the need for a liver transplant.
Value of FibroScan®
As a non-invasive diagnostic tool recognized worldwide and validated in over 3,500 peer-reviewed publications and 160 international guidelines, including the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE) and American Heart Association (AHA), FibroScan® uses liver stiffness measurement by vibration controlled transient elastography (LSM by VCTE™) and CAP™ to provide a high degree of diagnostic accuracy for liver steatosis that can be performed at the point-of-care. Based upon the FibroScan® results, further assessments, such as painful or expensive liver biopsies, can be avoided. Additionally, a recent study using FibroScan® as an accurate technique to assess LSM found that twenty-three percent of US adults that meet the criteria for bariatric surgery have an elevated LSM.
Through early detection and ongoing monitoring with FibroScan®, patients diagnosed with NAFLD can make significant progress by incorporating lifestyle changes to halt or even reverse the progression of disease.
Learn more on our webinar “Understanding New FibroScan® Software Enhancements Which Optimize Overweight Patient Testing” Tuesday, November 15th from 1PM to 2PM EST
