Liverscan, a palm-sized real-time B-mode ultrasound imaging guided system for liver fibrosis assessment, was developed by Prof. ZHENG Yongping, Director of the Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA), and his research team. This innovative system will soon be introduced to the mainland Chinese market. The technology marks a major step in promoting the precise prevention and effective diagnosis of liver diseases in China.
Liver fibrosis is a common condition in which the liver is chronically inflamed, and it may lead to cirrhosis, loss of liver function or cancer. Liver biopsy, which has been the gold standard in the diagnosis of liver diseases, requires puncturing the skin of a patient’s abdomen with a needle and collecting a small sample of the liver tissue. In contrast, Liverscan provides a novel, non-invasive technology for liver fibrosis assessment.
The team developed Liverscan over a period of five years, based on PolyU’s related research results and patents. During this period, the team obtained the support of the Incu-bio incubation program at Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, the Technology Start-up Support Scheme for Universities, and other funds. Prof. Zheng founded Eieling Technology Limited, a PolyU-supported start-up, together with former and current team members, to develop, manufacture and market Liverscan. At present, Liverscan equipment is being trialled at a number of hospitals and medical examination centres in Hong Kong, as well as some top hospitals in mainland China.
