Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) has begun using a new digital tool to help find people who may be at risk of liver disease, potentially before symptoms appear.
The system, called hepatoSIGHT®, is now being used by NHS clinicians at RCHT to support preventative care and earlier diagnosis. It works by securely analysing patterns in historic blood test results that are already held within NHS systems
hepatoSIGHT helps doctors look for patterns that may suggest someone could benefit from further checks of their liver health. These patterns are often hidden in routine blood test results and may not be obvious during standard care.
The technology was created in partnership with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, where it has been used in clinical practice for several years. During this time, clinicians have used hepatoSIGHT to identify people earlier and intervene sooner, helping to change the lives of hundreds of patients who may otherwise have been diagnosed too late.
Liver disease is a major public health issue in England. More than 11,000 people die from liver disease each year, and death rates have increased by around 400 percent since 1970. At least one in nine UK adults is thought to have some form of liver disease.
Many people think liver disease only affects those who drink alcohol. This is not true. Liver disease can also be caused by genetic conditions, autoimmune disease, and metabolic conditions such as fatty liver disease. Many people affected have never drunk alcohol at all.
In most cases, liver disease develops slowly over many years or even decades and can progress from mild disease to cirrhosis or liver cancer. Often there are no symptoms until the disease is advanced, when treatment options are more limited. However, if liver disease is found early, there are effective treatments and changes that can prevent serious illness.
hepatoSIGHT does not make a diagnosis. It supports clinicians by helping them decide who to invite for simple follow-up tests, so care can be offered earlier where it may be needed most.
“Working with innovative digital tools like hepatoSIGHT helps us find people who might otherwise be diagnosed too late,” said Liz Farrington, Consultant Nurse in Hepatology at RCHT. “Evidence from our NHS partners shows that earlier identification can genuinely change lives, and we are proud to be bringing this approach to patients in Cornwall.”
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