Benenden Hospital offers comprehensive liver assessment using ultrasound and elastography

Liver disease is increasingly common in Western societies. People with existing health conditions are at greater risk of developing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and up to 30 per cent may progress to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, potentially leading to liver failure. Regular liver assessments are recommended for at-risk individuals.

Advanced practice sonographer Sadie Ridley at Benenden Hospital, Cranbrook, reported on the advanced liver diagnostics now available at the hospital since the installation of two Siemens Healthineers Acuson Sequoia ultrasound systems.

Liver disease may go undiagnosed until later stages due to a lack of symptoms, but early detection improves prognosis significantly. Shear wave elastography (SWE) offers a biopsy-free, quantitative method to assess liver stiffness and fat infiltration. Although fibroscan, the current gold standard, uses SWE it lacks visual guidance for measurement placement.

By combining ultrasound and elastography, clinicians can achieve greater accuracy and reproducibility through visualisation during measurement (see below). In 2023, Benenden Hospital installed the Acuson Sequoia systems, equipped with SWE and ultrasound-derived fat fraction technology to assess liver stiffness and hepatic fat.

For assessment, patients fast for six hours, then undergo ultrasound followed by elastography. Measurements are taken during breath-hold on expiration, ensuring accuracy, and same-day reports are provided. The service is accessible via Benenden Health membership, self-pay, private routes and NHS referrals.

“To date, 252 patients have been referred, with high attendance and positive feedback. Examinations are well tolerated, and visualisation of the liver throughout improves both accuracy and consistency compared to Fibroscan,” Ridley explained. “Growing awareness among clinicians and the community has led to increased referrals. Few private UK hospitals currently offer such advanced liver diagnostics, and Benenden Hospital’s service is the first of its kind in the south-east,” she concluded.

Picture: advanced practice sonographer Sadie Ridley with an Acuson Sequoia ultrasound system.

Read this report on page 15 of the September 2025 issue of RAD Magazine.