New Technology at Northern Light Health helps liver patients

New technology at Northern Light Imaging in Bangor is making patient care safer and quicker.

It's called Shear Wave Elastography.

It's a non-invasive option for diagnosing liver disease.

Identifying issues early in the vital organ can lead to preventing several chronic health concerns, even death.

The tool cuts down on the need for invasive, less safe, longer procedures like biopsies.

Ultrasound Supervisor, Ryan Saucier says, "We're trying to take some of that risk and complications out of there and still give them the same treatment options by using a less invasive, less expensive, no radiation, portable modality that takes about 15 minutes for them to get similar if not the same information."

Medical staff say it's perhaps the most important breakthrough in the evolution of ultrasonography in the last 15 years.

Patients concerned about possible liver issues may ask their primary care provider for a referral.