Limitations of liver biopsy and non-invasive diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

It is estimated that 30% of the adult population in Japan is affected by nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Fatty changes of the liver are generally diagnosed using imaging methods such as abdominal ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT), but the sensitivity of these imaging techniques is low in cases of mild steatosis. Alanine aminotransferase levels may be normal in some of these patients, warranting the necessity to establish a set of parameters useful for detecting NAFLD, and the more severe form of the disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Although liver biopsy is currently the gold standard for diagnosing progressive NASH, it has many drawbacks, such as sampling error, cost, and…

• DS
  Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma