Fibroscan can diagnose liver stiffness in Hepatitis cases

New Delhi, July 27 (IANS) With the number of Hepatitis B and C patients increasing in India, a hospital here launched a technique called fibroscan for the non-invasive assessment of liver stiffness which leads to cancer in such patients.

Sir Ganga Ram Hospital after conducting studies on 175 patients developed the technique that will help in diagnosis of the liver status and start the treatment before fatal complications set in.

According to the ministry of health and family welfare, about 15 million Indians are suffering from Hepatitis B and C and five million of them may be viraemic.

"Fibroscan is a safe, quick and cost-effective technique for diagnosing various stages of the liver disease," said Anil Arora, chairperson, department of gastroenterology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

"As specific symptoms of liver cirrhosis like jaundice, swelling of the feet or blood vomiting are peculiarly absent till the very late stage of liver cirrhosis, this technique will help in the assessment of liver stiffness in Hepatitis patients."

"Fibroscan will be of immense use in many patients with Hepatitis B or C or fatty liver disease," he said.

Arora said fibroscan can also be repeatedly conducted to assess the various stages of liver diseases before and after the treatment.

"Fibroscan can obviate the need of liver biopsy in more than 90 percent of the patients as it can make the same diagnosis at one-third of the cost, and without any complications," Arora said.