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For many patients referred to Redcliffe Hospital after an abnormal blood test, the path to understanding their liver health now begins with a painless 10-minute scan and continues moments later in the consultant’s room.
Clinical Nurse Consultant Phoebe Lodge conducts the FibroScan before the patient meets with a medical consultant. During the procedure, the patient generally feels only a small pulse between the ribs as the machine measures the liver.
The result is available immediately.
By the time the patient enters the next room, the specialist has information that can guide the discussion about further investigation or treatment. The process brings scanning and consultation into the same visit, reducing the number of appointments required before clinical decisions can be made.
A Different Way To Assess The Liver
About 850 patients have benefited from the FibroScan technology since it was introduced at Redcliffe Hospital.
The ultrasound-based device measures liver stiffness and steatosis, the medical term for liver fat. Its readings can indicate possible scarring or advanced fibrosis and help clinicians assess the extent of liver disease.
While radiology imaging provides information about what the liver looks like, FibroScan measures characteristics that help clinicians understand its stiffness and fat content.
The procedure is used as a practical first-line alternative to liver biopsy when assessing liver disease. It is non-invasive, painless and completed in about 10 minutes, although other investigations may still be required depending on the patient’s circumstances.
Lodge played a key role in securing the machine for Redcliffe Hospital and works primarily in the early diagnosis of liver disease.
Redcliffe Liver Care Meets Growing Demand
The technology has become part of a hepatology service facing continued growth in referrals.
Close to 20 new patients attend the clinic each fortnight, and Saturday clinics have recently been conducted to help manage demand.
Fatty liver disease accounts for many of the patients seen by the service. The clinic says the condition now affects one in three people and is often associated with diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Other patients are assessed for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, autoimmune hepatitis or the cause of an abnormal blood test. Most enter the clinic after being referred by their GP.
Lodge’s work also contributes to efforts towards the global goal of eliminating hepatitis C as a threat by 2030.
Specialist Care Without Leaving The Area
Before the Redcliffe Hospital hepatology service expanded, patients had access to only one clinician locally. The nearest alternative public service was based at The Prince Charles Hospital.
The additional clinics increased access to specialist liver care in Redcliffe. FibroScan has added another step to that change by allowing patients to receive an assessment immediately before their medical consultation.
Rather than separating the scan, results and specialist discussion across different appointments, the clinic can move through those stages during one visit. Patients receive their results sooner, while clinicians can make decisions about the next stage of care without waiting for a later appointment.
The hepatology clinic at Redcliffe Hospital operates as a referral-only service. Patients seeking assessment are advised to speak with their GP.
Published 9-July-2026
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