Thanks to the hard work and determination of the Norfolk & Norwich Liver Group, patients at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) will now be able to benefit from a quick and painless test with the use of a FibroScan machine. Until now only a liver biopsy could be carried out on patients to assess the amount of damage (fibrosis) caused to their liver.

The FibroScan offers a non-invasive test that allows the assessment of the degree of scarring within a liver. For some patients this may alleviate the need for a liver biopsy. In addition it provides a means to follow how diseases that effect the liver evolve over time. It operates by using sound waves that pass through the liver, the slower the sound waves travel, the healthier the liver. The FibroScan then gives a computer generated image and a readout that tells exactly what the damage to the liver is. The procedure takes minutes so many patients can be assessed per week.

The Norfolk and Norwich Liver Group set up an appeal in April 2011 to raise £70,000 to purchase a FibroScan machine for the NNUH. Now less than a year later and with the help the Friends of NNUH at total £77,500 has been raised.

NNUH Consultant Hepatologist, Mr Simon Rushbrook said "the FibroScan will allow us to both be able to follow patients more carefully who suffer from chonic liver disease and also to identify patients that are suffering from chronic liver disease that were previoulsy not recognised by simple ultrasound or liver blood tests.

Norfolk & Norwich Liver Group Secretary Marjorie Dingle said, "Our group has worked ceaselessly to meet the target. People have been so generous. So many contributors have helped that it would be inappropriate to mention individuals, only to say a huge thank you".

Notes for editors

There will be an official handover of the FibroScan machine from the Norfolk & Norwich Liver Group to the NNUH taking place at 9am on 23rd March in room 12 of the Education Centre at the NNUH. Call Communications on 01603 287634.