Fatty Liver Scan in London. Check Your Liver Before It Warns You

Last updated May 2026

Medically reviewed by the GMC-registered doctors at The Online GP by The Wellness

Fatty liver is the most common liver condition in the country and one of the quietest. NHS sources estimate that metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease, the condition formerly called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, affects up to one in five UK adults, and most have no symptoms at all. The good news is that caught early it is often reversible. This guide explains how to check your liver and what the results mean.

Want to know the state of your liver. Message The Online GP by The Wellness on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.

What is fatty liver disease and how common is it

Fatty liver disease is a build-up of fat in the liver, now usually called metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD. It is strongly linked to excess weight, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and metabolic syndrome, and it affects up to one in five UK adults, which makes it one of the most common conditions doctors see.

What makes it important is what it can become. In most people fatty liver is stable, but in some it progresses to inflammation and then to fibrosis, which is scarring of the liver. Fibrosis is the marker that matters most for long-term outcomes, and it develops silently over years. Because the liver rarely complains until late, fatty liver is often discovered by accident, on a routine blood test or a scan done for another reason. The condition is also closely tied to the heart and metabolism, so finding it is often a window into your wider health, not just your liver.

What are the symptoms of fatty liver

In most cases fatty liver causes no symptoms, which is precisely why it is so often missed. When symptoms do appear they are vague, such as tiredness or a dull discomfort under the right ribs, and they usually only emerge once the condition is more advanced.

This is the trap. People wait for a symptom that may never come until significant damage has occurred. Fatty liver is far more often picked up through raised liver enzymes on a blood test, the markers ALT, AST and GGT, or through imaging. That is why testing, rather than waiting to feel unwell, is how the condition is found at a stage when it can still be reversed. If you have risk factors such as excess weight, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol or regular alcohol use, checking your liver proactively makes sense even if you feel completely fine.

If you have risk factors, enquire on WhatsApp here and a doctor will check your liver.

What is a FibroScan and what does it show

A FibroScan, also called transient elastography, is a quick, painless scan that measures liver stiffness and liver fat. It takes around 10 to 15 minutes, uses no needles, and gives two key readings, a stiffness measure in kilopascals that reflects fibrosis, and a CAP score that estimates how much fat is in the liver.

The value of a FibroScan is that it answers the question that blood tests alone cannot, how much scarring, if any, has developed. A normal liver stiffness reading is generally below 7 kilopascals, and a normal CAP score for liver fat is below 248 decibels per metre, though the right interpretation always depends on your individual situation. Crucially, a number above the reference range does not automatically mean serious disease, which is why a doctor who knows your history reads the result rather than leaving you to interpret it. A FibroScan replaces what used to require a liver biopsy in many cases, making liver assessment far easier.

How does The Online GP by The Wellness assess liver health

The Online GP by The Wellness assesses liver health with a doctor consultation, liver and metabolic blood tests run in house, and a FibroScan or liver ultrasound arranged through trusted partner imaging when needed. It is your go-to first point of contact, and connects you with a hepatology specialist if your results call for one.

The pathway is designed to be thorough and quick. A GMC-registered doctor reviews your history and risk factors, the in-house service runs liver function tests, a fibrosis score and related markers such as HbA1c and cholesterol that complete the metabolic picture, and the doctor interprets the results the same day. Where a direct measure of fibrosis or fat is needed, the team arranges a FibroScan or ultrasound through established partner imaging centres. If the results suggest more than simple fatty liver, you are connected with a trusted consultant hepatologist, with The Online GP by The Wellness coordinating throughout. As context on the wider market, private FibroScans in the UK commonly cost between 120 and 400 pounds depending on whether a consultation is included.

For a complete liver check with answers, message us on WhatsApp.

Can fatty liver be reversed

Yes, early fatty liver can often be reversed, and even some fibrosis can improve, through weight loss, better control of blood sugar and cholesterol, and reducing alcohol, all guided by a doctor. This is the central reason to find it early, while the liver can still recover.

The liver is unusually good at healing when the cause is removed. People who address the underlying drivers, excess weight, raised blood sugar, high cholesterol and alcohol, often see their liver markers improve and fat reduce. The earlier this happens, the more complete the recovery tends to be. Left for years, the same condition can progress to advanced scarring that is much harder to reverse. A doctor builds a plan around your specific results and connects you to the right support, so the changes you make are the ones that actually move your numbers.

Frequently asked questions

How is fatty liver diagnosed

Fatty liver is diagnosed through liver function blood tests, a fibrosis assessment, and imaging such as a FibroScan or ultrasound. The Online GP by The Wellness runs bloods in house and arranges scans through trusted partners, with same-day doctor interpretation.

Does fatty liver cause symptoms

Usually not. Most people have no symptoms until the condition is advanced, which is why it is often found on blood tests or scans done for other reasons. Testing is how it is found early.

What is a normal FibroScan result

A liver stiffness reading below about 7 kilopascals and a CAP score below 248 decibels per metre are generally considered normal, but interpretation depends on your individual situation and should be explained by a doctor.

Can fatty liver be reversed

Often yes, especially when found early, through weight loss, better blood sugar and cholesterol control, and reducing alcohol, guided by a doctor. The liver can recover when the underlying causes are addressed.

How do I book a liver health check

Send a WhatsApp message and a GMC-registered doctor will arrange blood tests and, where appropriate, a FibroScan or ultrasound, usually within the same week, with results explained the same day.

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