Stefano Ballestri*, Claudio Tana, Maria Di Girolamo, Maria Cristina Fontana, Mariano Capitelli, Amedeo Lonardo and Giorgio Cioni Pages 3915 - 3927 ( 13 )
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) embraces histopathological entities ranging from the relatively benign simple steatosis to the progressive form nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is associated with fibrosis and an increased risk of progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD is the most common liver disease and is associated with extrahepatic comorbidities including a major cardiovascular disease burden.
The non-invasive diagnosis of NAFLD and the identification of subjects at risk of progressive liver disease and cardio-metabolic complications are key in implementing personalized treatment schedules and follow-up strategies.
In this review, we highlight the potential role of ultrasound semiquantitative scores for detecting and assessing steatosis severity, progression of NAFLD, and cardio-metabolic risk.
Ultrasonographic scores of fatty liver severity act as sensors of cardio-metabolic health and may assist in selecting patients to submit to second-line non-invasive imaging techniques and/or liver biopsy.
Atherosclerosis, cardiometabolic risk, conventional ultrasound, hepatic fibrosis, hepatic steatosis, liver biopsy, metabolic derangements.
Internal Medicine Unit, Pavullo Hospital, Azienda USL, Modena, Internal Medicine Unit, Pavullo Hospital, Azienda USL, Modena, Internal Medicine Unit, Pavullo Hospital, Azienda USL, Modena, Internal Medicine Unit, Pavullo Hospital, Azienda USL, Modena, Internal Medicine Unit, Pavullo Hospital, Azienda USL, Modena, Internal Medicine Unit, Pavullo Hospital, Azienda USL, Modena, Internal Medicine Unit, Pavullo Hospital, Azienda USL, Modena