A Liver Ultrasound: What This Procedure Means
Your doctor may recommend a liver ultrasound to check for signs of liver disease, and knowing what to expect can help put you at ease.
A liver ultrasound is one of a few tests your doctor can order if they want to check your liver.
An ultrasound scan (also known as sonography) is a noninvasive procedure that captures live images of your organs using high-frequency sound waves.
A liver ultrasound is an essential tool that helps doctors see your liver and its blood vessels in real time. It's a type of abdominal ultrasound.
If your doctor has ordered a liver ultrasound, it might mean they want to confirm or rule out a liver condition.
Keep reading to learn what conditions a liver ultrasound can detect, what to expect from the procedure, how accurate it is, how much you might need to pay for it, and other useful information.
Why is an ultrasound needed to test for liver disease?
Liver disease is a general term that refers to a group of conditions affecting your liver. These conditions may have different causes, but all of them can damage your liver and affect your general health.
Some of the most common liver conditions are:
hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver
steatotic liver disease, formerly known as fatty liver disease, or a buildup of fat in the liver
autoimmune liver disorders, which result from your immune system mistakenly attacking the cells in your liver
liver cancer
liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver failure, which involve scarring and damage from liver disease
Doctors usually recommend liver ultrasounds for the following reasons:
if you show symptoms of liver disease, such as jaundice or pain in the upper right portion of the abdomen (where the liver is located)
if you have high liver enzymes on a blood test called the liver function test
as a screening tool for liver conditions
The purpose of a liver ultrasound is to visualize your liver and record its blood flow. This helps doctors confirm or rule out liver conditions.
What should you see on an ultrasound for liver disease?
Liver ultrasounds don't usually require special preparation, but your doctor may ask you not to eat or drink anything several hours before the procedure.
During the scan, you'll lie still on a scanning table. An ultrasound technician will place a scanner in different spots around the upper right segment of your abdomen. The resulting images will show up on a computer screen in real time.
After the ultrasound is done, a doctor will check the ultrasound images. They will look for the following signs of liver disease:
liver inflammation, a sign of hepatitis
a buildup of fat associated with steatotic liver disease
masses or lesions, which can indicate liver cancer
changes in the appearance of the liver, such as nodules, which can signify cirrhosis
Is a liver ultrasound accurate?
A liver ultrasound is a useful tool in identifying certain types of liver disease. It's often the first test your doctor will order if they suspect a liver condition. It's a quick, safe, painless, and relatively inexpensive test.
In the past, doctors relied more heavily on liver biopsy to diagnose, stage, and grade liver disease. However, newer research indicates that new liver ultrasound technologies are able to accurately detect liver disease.
What does an ultrasound cost for liver disease?
On average, an abdominal liver scan can cost around $1,400. However, most health insurance providers cover this procedure.
Liver ultrasound costs will vary based on:
where you live
whether you have medical insurance
the type of ultrasound
Frequently asked questions
How do you diagnose fatty liver disease?
A doctor can diagnose steatotic liver disease using a combination of the following tests:
liver ultrasound
X-ray, CT, or MRI scans of the abdomen
transient elastography (also known as FibroScan), shear wave elastography, or acoustic radiation force impulse imaging, which assesses liver stiffness
magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), which combines MRI with low frequency sound waves to create a visual map showing liver stiffness
Can you get an ultrasound for alcohol liver disease?
Long-term, excessive alcohol use can lead to a buildup of fat in the liver known as alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), or steatosis.
Metabolic dysfunction and alcohol-related liver disease (MetALD), a form of alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD), refers to liver damage due to alcohol use along with other risk factors, such as obesity or diabetes. It causes liver inflammation and scarring and can eventually lead to cirrhosis.
Liver ultrasound is one of the tests used to diagnose fat in the liver. Other tests may include:
a complete blood count (CBC)
a liver function test
CT or MRI scans
a liver biopsy
Is there an ultrasound for liver disease in dogs?
Similar to humans, abdominal ultrasounds are commonly used in dogs and cats when a vet suspects a liver condition.
Symptoms of liver disease in pets can be subtle but may include:
appetite issues
orange urine
jaundice
weight loss
excessive drinking or excessive urinating
light colored stool
Can an abdominal ultrasound check for chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance?
Certain types of liver disease can increase your risk of developing liver cancer, also known as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Because of that, doctors recommend regular screening for HCC in people with cirrhosis, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C every 6 months.
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