Index
Find a provider that meets your needs
At Capital Digestive Care, our providers offer a comprehensive range of digestive health services.
Liver Imaging
What to expect and how to prepare, plus additional resources. Contact your provider to confirm if they perform the procedure.
Know someone who may benefit from this information? Share content 
Procedure overview
It’s estimated that 1 in 3 adults in the US has a form of liver disease. In the early stages, liver disease can be controlled and potentially reversed.
There are several ultrasound-based procedures that can detect, monitor, and manage liver disease. Unlike a traditional liver biopsy, these imaging procedures are non-invasive and can be conducted during your normal office visit, allowing for a convenient and painless experience.
Do you need a Liver Imaging
A gastroenterologist may recommend a procedure for patients who demonstrate signs or symptoms of:
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) – Now known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
- Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) – Now known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
- Viral Hepatitis (including hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D, and hepatitis E)
- Cirrhosis
- Alcohol-related liver disease
- Liver cancer
- And a wide range of other liver diseases, including autoimmune, hereditary, and drug-induced liver injury (DILI)
In addition to traditional abdominal ultrasound, Capital Digestive Care also offers both Velacur and FibroScan ultrasound-based elastography to assess your liver health. This technology can measure the degree of scarring (fibrosis), excess fat (steatosis), and inflammation in your liver. Your gastroenterologist will help determine which test is best for you.
Our non-invasive liver Liver imaging and ultrasounds can be found at many Capital Digestive Care locations in the region.
- In-office ultrasound is available at the following locations
- FibroScan is available at the following locations
- Velacur is available at the following locations
Screening Tool
A liver ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to create real-time images of the liver, allowing for the assessment of its size, shape, and texture.
What to expect
During the test, you will lie flat on an exam table. Your provider will apply gel on your skin before placing a wand on your abdomen near the ribs. You might feel pressure, but the procedure itself should be painless. A series of pulses are emitted directly into the liver to produce an image on a screen. Results are ready in real time for your provider to discuss with you.
How to prepare
Preparation for a liver biopsy may vary, depending on whether or not you will be sedated. You may be asked to obtain laboratory tests prior to the biopsy and to temporarily stop taking medications that affect blood clotting or interact with sedatives, which are sometimes given during a liver biopsy. You should inform your doctor of any medicines you are taking, including over-the-counter medications.
Patients who will be sedated should not eat or drink for 8 hours before the liver biopsy and should arrange a ride home, as driving is prohibited for 12 hours after the procedure. Mild sedation is sometimes used during liver biopsy to help patients stay relaxed. Unlike general anesthesia where patients are unconscious, patients can communicate while sedated but then often have no memory of the procedure. Sedatives are often given through an intravenous (IV) tube placed in a vein.