How to Detect Liver Fibrosis without Liver Biopsy
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Blood test to detect liver damage
11 July 2007
www.mlwmagazine.com
A new blood test that detects and monitors liver damage has now received regulatory approval to be used in the UK.
The ‘Enhanced Liver Fibrosis Test’ (ELF), produced by IQur, a biotech company in the field of liver disease, detects liver problems without the need for invasive biopsies.
Liver damage, or fibrosis, may occur without causing any symptoms so many people remain unaware for decades that they have liver disease. Deaths due to liver disease currently stand at 7,500 a year in the UK.
“This is a massive shift in the area of liver disease,’’ said Professor William Rosenberg, one of the pioneers behind the test. “Liver disease is one of the most common causes of death in the UK and anything that we can do to stem the rise has huge significance for patients and those treating the disease.’’
The new test is available through GP surgeries, health clinics and hospitals. The analysis of samples is undertaken by iQur’s specialist diagnostic service, and the test can be repeated at appropriate intervals to monitor disease progression and response to therapy.
ELF test has been developed by iQur in association with the University of Southampton and Siemens Medical Solutions in the US.
