Review
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World J Hepatol. May 27, 2013; 5(5): 264-274
Published online May 27, 2013. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v5.i5.264
Transient elastography: Kill two birds with one stone?
Grace Lai-Hung Wong
Grace Lai-Hung Wong, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, and Institute of Digestive Disease, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Author contributions: Wong GLH performed the literature review, analyzed data and wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Grace Lai-Hung Wong, MD, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, and Institute of Digestive Disease, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 9/F Prince of Wales Hospital, 30-32 Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, Hong Kong, China. wonglaihung@cuhk.edu.hk
Telephone: +86-852-26323593 Fax: +86-852-26373852
Received: January 31, 2013
Revised: March 1, 2013
Accepted: March 6, 2013
Published online: May 27, 2013
Core Tip

Core tip: Transient elastography (TE, Fibroscan®) is a non-invasive tool with satisfactory accuracy to estimate liver fibrosis and steatosis. Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) with TE has been well validated to detect advanced fibrosis in most liver diseases. LSM is useful in predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), portal hypertension, post-operative complications in HCC patients, and survival. The new XL probe increases the success rate of TE in obese patients. A novel ultrasonic controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) of the machine is useful to detect steatosis noninvasively. Simultaneous LSM and CAP results make TE very convenient to assess any patients with suspected or confirmed liver diseases.