Free liver checks in Rotterdam draw long queue
A temporary screening with a FibroScan gives visitors an initial indication of liver fat and stiffness.
Franciscus Gasthuis is offering free liver checks in Rotterdam from 22 to 24 September. Interest is high, but the scan is an initial screening, not a medical diagnosis.
The liver checks are being carried out in a mobile unit at the main entrance of Franciscus Gasthuis. According to a public local publication, there is room for around 50 to 60 participants per day. At busy times, a queue may form and capacity is limited.
The FibroScan used measures the amount of fat and the stiffness of the liver using sound waves. Higher stiffness can be consistent with scarring, but the result must always be assessed alongside other information. The screening is therefore not the same as a diagnosis or a full medical examination.
Franciscus is organising the initiative as part of the European Liver Screening Tour run by the European Liver Patients’ Association. The hospital is also working with UMC Utrecht and European partners on research into the earlier detection and treatment of fatty liver disease and liver inflammation. According to the publication, the free checks are not part of that research.
Fatty liver disease can cause few or no symptoms for a long time. That does not mean that every abnormal scan points to serious illness, and conversely, an initially normal measurement does not rule out all liver problems. The result of a public initiative may be a reason to consult a GP, but it does not replace regular healthcare.
The available information about this specific initiative comes mainly from a local publication identified as a partner contribution. No separate official press release from Franciscus could be found concerning the queue, the number of abnormalities detected and the follow-up procedure.
Caution is therefore needed regarding the claim that many initial abnormalities have already been detected during the initiative. It is established, however, that the hospital is offering temporary free screening and that a FibroScan can provide an initial picture of liver fat and stiffness.
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The article sticks to verifiable information about the temporary screening and explains its medical significance cautiously. Claims about numbers and results have not been presented as established news.
- confirmed Franciscus is offering free liver checks from 22 to 24 September. — Mentioned in the public publication about the initiative. source
- confirmed The FibroScan measures liver stiffness and liver fat. — Confirmed by hospital information about FibroScan. source
- confirmed The screening is not a definitive diagnosis. — The local publication states that the result provides an initial picture; hospital information describes FibroScan as part of research. source
- uncertain Many initial abnormalities have already been detected during the initiative. — The claim in the headline could not be independently verified. source
Editor's note
The initiative and the workings of FibroScan have been publicly described. Independent confirmation of the long queue, the number of participants and any abnormal results is lacking; the status is therefore insufficient_sources.Sources
- Levercheck bij Franciscus op Europese Screening Tour — Schiedam24
- Fibroscan — Ikazia Ziekenhuis
- Fibroscan — Maasstad Ziekenhuis
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „lever leververvetting”
- de Volkskrant — „lever leververvetting”
- RTL Nieuws — „lever leververvetting”