“A FibroScan is very quick, painless and not invasive at all,” says a Kingston Hospital patient who has been cared for by the gastroenterology team for over 20 years.

“It feels similar to an ultrasound, with a gentle vibration, and the results are available straight away, which is very reassuring. A liver biopsy, while always handled kindly by staff, is much more involved and requires hours of monitoring afterwards, followed by rest at home. Having experienced both, the ease of a FibroScan really does outweigh a biopsy for the patient, especially when you’re living with a long‑term liver condition.”

Thanks to a portable FibroScan machine funded by Kingston Hospital Charity, Kingston Hospital is improving the way it detects and manages liver disease. FibroScan is a quick, painless and non‑invasive test that makes a real difference to patients’ experience of care.

The device uses sound waves to assess scarring in the liver, known as fibrosis, and is widely recognised as a gold‑standard tool in national and international clinical guidelines. Unlike traditional liver biopsies, FibroScan delivers immediate results and is far more comfortable for patients. Its portability also means people can be scanned wherever they are on the hospital site, with the potential to extend this service into the community in future.

Early detection is crucial, as many liver conditions do not cause symptoms until they are advanced. FibroScan allows clinicians to identify liver disease much earlier and monitor changes over time in a far more accessible and patient‑friendly way. In many cases, this enables people to be supported through simple but effective interventions, such as diet and exercise changes or help to reduce alcohol intake, without needing more complex hospital treatment.

This approach benefits patients while also helping ease pressure on hospital services. By introducing a portable FibroScan at Kingston Hospital, waiting times can be reduced and faster ‘one‑stop’ appointments offered, improving early diagnosis, long‑term outcomes and patients’ overall experience of care.

“The Kingston Hospital Charity funded FibroScan machine is already helping the patients we care for with liver disease by providing assessments of the severity of liver damage and degree of fatty change in the liver.  This is safer, quicker and more easily repeatable than liver biopsy.  Thank you for supporting our service and patients!” Dr Kate Drysdale, Consultant Hepatologist & Gastroenterologist.