Magnetic resonance elastography - the whole liver, in kilopascals.
A non‑invasive MRI‑based measurement of liver stiffness across the whole organ - the most accurate way, short of biopsy, to stage fibrosis in MASLD, hepatitis and other chronic liver disease.
Indicative pricing
What a private MRE scan costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner tertiary imaging centres.
In short
£800–£1,400, results in a few working days.
| Scan | Indicative range | Typical duration | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| MRE alone (add‑on to existing MRI) | £600–£1,200 | 3–5 min sequence | 2–5 working days |
| MRE combined with liver MRI | £800–£1,400 | 20–30 min | 2–5 working days |
| LiverMultiScan + MRE + PDFF panel | £900–£1,600 | 30–40 min | 3–7 working days |
| MRE + contrast‑enhanced liver MRI | £1,100–£1,800 | 40 min | 3–7 working days |
| Hepatology consultation to interpret | £220–£450 | 30 min | Same visit |
| Consultation only (is MRE right for me?) | £200–£400 | 30 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by centre, by whether the MRE is added to a wider liver protocol, and by whether contrast is used.
The problem
The right test, the right centre, the right interpretation.
Non‑invasive liver testing is a maze - blood biomarkers, FibroScan, MRE, biopsy - and most patients are moved through them at random. We pick the right one for you before you spend anything.
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Already had a FibroScan?
If it was borderline, failed, or does not match your bloods, MRE is usually the next step - not another FibroScan.
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Worried about biopsy?
For most chronic liver disease, MRE has replaced biopsy for fibrosis staging. We say when that is true for you.
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Want the whole liver read?
A named consultant radiologist and hepatologist review the stiffness map, the fat and iron maps and any structural findings together.
When it helps
When MRE is the right next step.
The situations we see most, plus the one red flag that means hepatology or A&E rather than an elective scan.
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MASLD / MASH (fatty liver)
Metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatotic liver disease - MRE stages fibrosis while PDFF quantifies fat, avoiding biopsy for most patients.
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Chronic viral hepatitis (B or C)
Stiffness measurement guides treatment decisions and monitors regression after antiviral therapy.
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Autoimmune and cholestatic liver disease
Autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis - whole‑liver mapping is more reliable than a point measurement.
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Haemochromatosis and iron overload
MRE alongside T2* iron mapping - with iron correction - separates the effect of iron from true fibrosis.
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FibroScan failed or was unreliable
Obesity, ascites, narrow rib spaces or an XL probe failure - MRE works where transient elastography does not.
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Discordance between blood tests and scan
FIB‑4, ELF or APRI point one way and FibroScan another - MRE is the tie‑breaker before considering biopsy.
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Monitoring known fibrosis over time
Reproducible, quantitative and whole‑organ - the right tool for tracking whether stiffness is falling, stable or rising.
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Red flag: decompensated cirrhosis
Jaundice, encephalopathy, variceal bleeding or new ascites are not clinic problems - they need same‑day hepatology or A&E, not an elective MRE.
Scan variants
MRE alone is rarely the whole answer.
What each option on the table actually measures - and which combination fits which liver problem.
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MRE alone
A short 3 to 5 minute sequence added to a standard liver MRI - a stiffness map in kilopascals across the whole liver.
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MRE + PDFF (fat)
Proton density fat fraction quantifies steatosis in percent, alongside the stiffness map - the pairing most useful in MASLD.
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MRE + T2* (iron)
Iron mapping is added so stiffness can be interpreted honestly - iron overload biases MRE and needs correction.
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LiverMultiScan panel
A combined protocol reporting stiffness, fat, iron and structural findings in one comprehensive liver phenotype.
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MRE + contrast‑enhanced MRI
Adds gadolinium for lesion characterisation - used when a focal liver lesion needs assessing alongside diffuse disease.
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Brain MRE (research)
Emerging use in neurodegenerative research - Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis. Not routine clinical practice yet.
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Spleen or pancreas MRE
Splenic stiffness informs portal hypertension; pancreatic stiffness supports diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. Available in selected centres.
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Consultation only
An honest discussion of whether MRE, FibroScan, blood biomarkers or biopsy is the right next step for you.
Safety and limitations
What to expect, and where MRE has its limits.
MRE is very safe and non‑invasive. The things worth planning are MRI screening, iron correction, and knowing when stiffness might be raised for reasons other than fibrosis.
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No injection needed for MRE
The MRE sequence itself uses only mechanical vibration and MRI - no contrast is required unless you are also having a contrast‑enhanced liver MRI.
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MRI safety screening is mandatory
Metal fragments, pacemakers, cochlear implants and some clips are contraindications. Every patient is screened by the radiographer before the scan.
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Claustrophobia is manageable
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The vibration is gentle
A 60 Hz hum through a passive driver on the right lower ribs. Most patients describe it as a mild buzz, not uncomfortable.
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Breath‑holds are short
Each MRE acquisition needs a breath‑hold of around 15 to 20 seconds. Patients with breathlessness are coached and the sequence is adapted.
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Iron overload confounds the result
Heavy iron reduces MRE signal - this is why T2* correction is added. Very high iron may still limit reliability, and we say so.
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Acute inflammation raises stiffness
A recent hepatitis flare, congestion or biliary obstruction can transiently increase stiffness. The report accounts for this rather than ignoring it.
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Contrast risk is small and rare
Where gadolinium is added, modern macrocyclic agents are very well tolerated. Renal function is checked in advanced kidney disease.
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Red flags
Jaundice, confusion, black stools, new abdominal swelling or vomiting blood are emergencies - call your hepatology team or A&E the same day.
Reading your MRE report
Your MRE report in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever protocol was used, the report the radiologist sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Radiology language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the report before your hepatology review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication, technique and quality
Why the scan was done, whether MRE alone or with PDFF, T2* and contrast - and whether the acquisition met technical quality standards.
- 02 Technique
Stiffness map and mean kPa
The elastogram itself with a mean liver stiffness in kilopascals, region‑of‑interest values, and comparison to reference thresholds for your aetiology.
- 03 Findings
Fat (PDFF), iron (T2*) and structure
Steatosis percentage, iron content, and any structural findings on the wider MRI - focal lesions, vessels, biliary tree, spleen size.
- 04 Impression
Fibrosis stage estimate and next step
Read this first: an F0–F4 estimate with honest uncertainty, and what it means - reassurance, repeat interval, hepatology referral or biopsy if still needed.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover for MRE varies by insurer and by indication - usually funded when clinically indicated for chronic liver disease.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about MRE.
Quick answers on cost, comparison to FibroScan, what the kPa numbers mean, and whether you can avoid biopsy.
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What is magnetic resonance elastography?
MRE is an MRI technique that measures how stiff tissue is. A small passive driver placed on the skin sends gentle 60 Hz shear waves into the liver; the MRI tracks how those waves travel; software converts the wave pattern into a colour stiffness map in kilopascals (kPa). Stiffer liver means more fibrosis.
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How is MRE different from a FibroScan?
FibroScan (transient elastography) uses an ultrasound probe to measure stiffness at a single small point. MRE measures the whole liver in one sitting. MRE is more accurate - especially in obesity, ascites or when FibroScan has failed - but is slower, needs an MRI scanner and costs more.
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Does MRE replace a liver biopsy?
For most patients with chronic liver disease, yes. MRE has largely replaced biopsy for fibrosis staging in MASLD, viral hepatitis and many other chronic conditions. Biopsy is still used when the diagnosis is uncertain, when a specific inflammatory pattern needs confirming, or when MRE is unreliable - for example in severe iron overload.
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What do the stiffness numbers mean?
Rough guide, and thresholds vary by aetiology: under 2.5 kPa is normal, 2.5–3.0 kPa suggests mild fibrosis (F1), 3.0–3.5 kPa moderate (F2), 3.5–4.0 kPa advanced (F3), and above 4–5 kPa is cirrhosis (F4). Your report is interpreted against the thresholds for your specific liver condition.
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How much does an MRE scan cost privately in the UK?
MRE added to an existing MRI is roughly £600–£1,200. A combined liver MRI with MRE is £800–£1,400. A LiverMultiScan panel with MRE and PDFF is £900–£1,600. Adding contrast pushes it to £1,100–£1,800.
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Is MRE safe? Does it hurt?
MRE is very safe. There is no radiation, no needle for the MRE part itself, and no medication involved. The passive driver produces a gentle hum you can feel on your ribs - most patients describe it as a mild buzz. Standard MRI safety rules apply: no ferromagnetic metal, and a screening questionnaire before the scan.
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What can make MRE unreliable?
Heavy iron overload reduces the MRE signal - this is why iron mapping (T2*) is added and correction applied. Very recent hepatitis, acute congestion or biliary obstruction can transiently raise stiffness. Poor breath‑holding and severe obesity affecting the driver contact can degrade quality. A good report says so honestly.
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Is MRE only used for the liver?
The liver is by far the main use and where the evidence is strongest. MRE of the spleen supports portal hypertension assessment; pancreatic MRE informs chronic pancreatitis; brain, breast and muscle MRE are used in research and selected clinical settings. We will tell you if it is worth pursuing for your indication.
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