{"id":5626,"date":"2026-02-16T12:48:50","date_gmt":"2026-02-15T23:48:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.awanuilabs.co.nz\/north\/auckland\/?p=5626"},"modified":"2026-02-16T12:53:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-15T23:53:58","slug":"fib-4-score","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.awanuilabs.co.nz\/north\/auckland\/2026\/02\/16\/fib-4-score\/","title":{"rendered":"FIB-4 score for MASLD (NAFLD) Risk Stratification"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Requestable on eOrder \u2013 No prior approval needed
Effective date: 16\/02\/2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4)?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FIB-4 (Fibrosis-4) index is a non-invasive score used to stratify liver fibrosis risk in patients with suspected metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It enhances early identification of patients at risk for advanced liver fibrosis using easily accessible, serum-based markers. FIB-4 is recommended by international guidelines due to its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and particularly its strong negative predictive value for advanced fibrosis. It therefore helps reduce unnecessary imaging or liver biopsy in low-risk individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When should you not request FIB-4?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FIB-4 score is not recommended for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C. While it is a useful non-invasive tool for assessing liver fibrosis stages in MASLD (NAFLD), it is not as reliable as liver biopsy (which remains the gold standard for diagnosing liver fibrosis and assessing the severity of liver disease in patients with hepatitis C).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calculating and interpreting FIB-4<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FIB-4 score incorporates age, AST, ALT, and platelet count and is automatically calculated and reported with associated age-specific interpretive comments and follow-up recommendations. FIB_4 does not have a unit.<\/p>\n\n\n

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