What happens during an elastography?During an ultrasound (Fibroscan) elastography:You will lie on an examination table on your back, with your right abdominal area exposed.A radiology technician will spread gel on your skin over the area.He or she will place a wand-like device, called a transducer, on the area of skin that covers your liver.The probe will deliver a series of sound waves. The waves will travel to your liver and bounce back. The waves are so high pitched you can't hear them.You may feel a gentle flick as this is done, but it should not hurt.The sound waves are recorded, measured, and displayed on a monitor.The measurement shows the level of stiffness in the liver.The procedure only takes about five minutes, but your entire appointment may take a half hour or so.MRE (magnetic resonance elastography) is done with the same type of machine and many of the same steps as a traditional MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) test. During an MRE procedure:You will lie on a narrow examination table.A radiology technician will place a small pad on your abdomen. The pad will emit vibrations that pass through your liver.The table will slide into an MRI scanner, which is a tunnel-shaped machine that contains the magnet. You may be given earplugs or headphones before the test to help block the noise of the scanner, which is very loud.Once inside the scanner, the pad will activate and send measurements of vibrations from your liver. The measurements will be recorded onto a computer and turned into a visual map that shows the stiffness of your liver.The test takes about 30 to 60 minutes.
