How is NAFLD diagnosed?

    Researchedby:
    Mike Murray

    Fact-checked

    by:

    Morgan Pfiffner, James Gaylor
    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    Liver biopsy is considered the gold standard for diagnosing NAFLD and is essential for diagnosing NASH, as it is the only procedure that can reliably differentiate it from NAFL.[1] Imaging methods, such as ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are more commonly used, but their ability to detect mild NAFL is poor. MRI seems to be the precise imaging method.[2]

    References

    1. ^European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO)EASL-EASD-EASO Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver diseaseJ Hepatol.(2016 Jun)
    2. ^Yingzhen N Zhang, Kathryn J Fowler, Gavin Hamilton, Jennifer Y Cui, Ethan Z Sy, Michelle Balanay, Jonathan C Hooker, Nikolaus Szeverenyi, Claude B SirlinLiver fat imaging-a clinical overview of ultrasound, CT, and MR imagingBr J Radiol.(2018 Sep)