Steatosis Measurement in Liver Elastography - CAP vs UAP
Fibrosis is only one side of metabolic liver disease. Attenuation-based measurements such as CAP and UAP are increasingly important because clinicians also need a practical way to estimate liver fat while monitoring broader disease risk.
Content note
Prepared by the Elastography Australia clinical education team for informational purposes. This content does not replace clinician judgement or individual medical advice.
What CAP measures
Controlled Attenuation Parameter is the well-known FibroScan output for estimating steatosis. It gives clinicians a practical way to move beyond a simple yes-or-no fatty liver impression and think more quantitatively about disease burden.
What UAP adds in the Elastography Australia context
UAP is the Elastography Australia attenuation-based steatosis parameter. In the positioning strategy, it matters because the product is not just framed as a fibrosis tool, but as a broader guided liver assessment platform that combines stiffness, fat-related metrics, and B-mode imaging context.
How to use steatosis outputs clinically
Steatosis measurements are particularly useful in MAFLD care where weight loss, diabetes management, and serial monitoring all matter. They are most helpful when used as part of a broader risk profile rather than as a standalone treatment trigger.
The strongest clinical value comes when attenuation and stiffness are considered together, especially in patients moving along the spectrum from simple steatosis toward clinically significant fibrosis.
Limits and caution points
Attenuation-based measures are still affected by patient factors and device-specific behaviour. As with stiffness, the practical rule is to read the number in context and trend within one consistent system where possible.