Over 2,500 Northern Ireland folks are admitted to hospital with liver disease each year - but 90% of cases could have been prevented.
So, if like me you are guilty of eating and drinking a bit too much, you have the chance to put your mind at ease on the state of one of your major organs before it’s too late.
For today only, the British Liver Trust’s ‘love your liver’ team are offering free checks at Belfast City Hall.
The charity’s Jonathan Worsfold said: “The scan tests the stiffness of the liver.
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“A happy liver is soft and squidgy but if fat builds up in the liver or it gets scarred, fibrosis or inflammation then it becomes stiffer.
“It gives an instant snapshot of whether the liver is healthy.”
Dr Leanne Stratton was one of the clinicians carrying out the scans at Writers Square yesterday.
The soon-to-be gastroenterology consultant added: “For most people liver disease is asymptomatic so when they get symptoms it’s at a very advanced state where their liver is very scarred and damaged.
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“We want to pick them up at a stage where there is very mild, very early scarring so we can look at the risk factors and get it reversed for their long term health.
“Apart from alcohol, which is obviously the one everybody knows about, it’s being overweight, not doing much exercise, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol - that’s the big ticking time bomb that we are facing.”
Antrim Area Hospital registrar Leanne said the mobile clinic has already picked up a couple of cases where people have shown early signs of scarring.
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They left with a letter for their GP, who can refer them on through the NHS for any treatment needed.
“If anybody is concerned at all or has any rick factors we are at the City Hall tomorrow,” added Dr Stratton.
All you have to do is fill in an online lifestyle questionnaire before waiting your turn for an ultrasound-like scan in one of two treatment rooms in the charity’s mobile clinic.
I offered up my liver for a once over - and can report back that it was painless and fast procedure.
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Although, I have to admit I left feeling quite smug with my outstanding score of 4.3 out of 75, three being the best result and under 7.5 marking normal.
You too can be checked out by the experts from 10am-4pm at City Hall today.
If you can’t make it, try the online screening test at https://www.britishlivertrust.org.uk/screener to find out if you are at risk.
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