Elastometry is a non-invasive quantitative measurement of liver stiffness, expressed as a number in kilopascals (kPa). The more pronounced the fibrosis, the stiffer the tissue — so elastometry lets you assess the fibrosis stage without a biopsy.
Most often it is performed by vibration-controlled transient elastometry (the FibroScan device). In essence it is a quantitative form of elastography: elastography "draws" a stiffness map, while elastometry gives a specific value in kPa.
How it is done
A probe is placed on the skin over the liver; it sends a gentle mechanical wave and measures how fast it travels — the stiffer the tissue, the faster the wave. The result is expressed in kPa. The procedure is done on an empty stomach, is painless, involves no radiation and takes a few minutes.
Using a separate parameter (CAP), the same device can also estimate the amount of fat in the liver, which is useful in NAFLD.
What the values mean
Values are matched to the METAVIR fibrosis stages (F0–F4). As a rough guide in metabolic liver disease: below 8 kPa marked fibrosis is unlikely, 8–12 kPa is a "grey zone", above 12 kPa marked fibrosis or cirrhosis is likely. Under the Baveno VII approach, stiffness of 25 kPa and above points to a high risk of portal hypertension.
What affects the result
Stiffness can be overestimated with active inflammation and high ALT, cholestasis, venous congestion in heart failure, and also right after eating. Marked obesity and ascites make the measurement difficult. That is why the test is done on an empty stomach, and the result is interpreted together with calculated indices (FIB-4, FibroTest).
Reference ranges
A rough interpretation of liver stiffness by elastometry (FibroScan/VCTE); thresholds depend on the cause of the disease:
| < 8 kPa | marked fibrosis unlikely (F0–F1) |
| 8 – 12 kPa | "grey zone", further work-up needed |
| > 12 kPa | marked fibrosis or cirrhosis likely (F3–F4) |
| ≥ 25 kPa | high risk of portal hypertension (Baveno VII) |
Calculate using this marker
Calculators where Elastometry is used directly:
Frequently asked questions
How does elastometry differ from elastography?
These are closely related concepts. Elastography is an imaging method that "shows" tissue stiffness, often as a colour map. Elastometry is a quantitative measurement of that same stiffness in numbers (kPa), as with FibroScan. In practice the terms are often used interchangeably.
Does elastometry replace a liver biopsy?
In many cases yes: it non-invasively assesses the fibrosis stage and is convenient for monitoring. But with borderline values, rare diseases or a mismatch with lab results, a doctor may still order a biopsy.