Noninvasive evaluation of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Current evidence and practice

Abstract

With the increasing number of individuals with diabetes and obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming increasingly prevalent, affecting one-quarter of adults worldwide. The spectrum of NAFLD ranges from simple steatosis or nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NAFLD, especially NASH, may progress to fibrosis, leading to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD can impose a severe economic burden, and patients with NAFLD-related terminal or deteriorative liver diseases have become one of the main groups receiving liver transplantation. The increasing prevalence of NAFLD and the severe outcomes of NASH make it necessary to use effective methods to identify NAFLD. Although recognized as the gold standard, biopsy is limited by its sampling bias, poor acceptability, and severe complications, such as mortality, bleeding, and pain. Therefore, noninvasive methods are urgently needed to avoid biopsy for diagnosing NAFLD. This review discusses the current noninvasive methods for assessing NAFLD, including steatosis, NASH, and NAFLD-related fibrosis, and explores the advantages and disadvantages of measurement tools. In addition, we analyze potential noninvasive biomarkers for tracking disease processes and monitoring treatment effects, and explore effective algorithms consisting of imaging and nonimaging biomarkers for diagnosing advanced fibrosis and reducing unnecessary biopsies in clinical practice.

Keywords: Fibrosis; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; Noninvasive evaluation; Steatosis.

Figure 1

Clinical algorithm with noninvasive testing and liver content measurement by Fibroscan for detecting advanced fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients. NFS: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score; NAFLD: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; NASH: Nonalcoholic fatty hepatitis; LSM: Liver stiffness measurement.