To determine whether the liver is fatty or not, it must be calculated based on measurements of the liver. However, more than 95% of cases have "fatty liver" results only diagnosed by ultrasound methods, which makes many people confused. There are many causes of fatty liver (GNM) consequences.
It often appears without symptoms and is frequently misdiagnosed. It affects nearly a third of all adults and can quietly progress to a life-threatening state. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is on the rise.
The overall sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound in detection of moderate to severe fatty liver have been shown to be accurate and comparable to those of histology (gold standard).
On ultrasound images, steatotic livers look brighter than normal livers, and cirrhotic livers (advanced fibrosis) look lumpy and shrunken.
Common secondary causes underlying, mimicking or worsening NAFLD/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in adults comprise chronic HCV infection, drugs and toxins, hypothyroidism, pregnancy-associated diseases and nutrition- or intestine-related disorders.
Imaging procedures used to diagnose NAFLD include: Abdominal ultrasound, which is often the initial test when liver disease is suspected. Computerized tomography (CT) scanning or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen. These techniques lack the ability to distinguish NASH from NAFLD , but still may be used.
Although non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is usually associated with obesity, patients who are not obese can also present with NAFLD. This subset of individuals, known to have 'lean NAFLD' or 'non-obese NAFLD', is growing increasingly prevalent.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has widely been considered a manifestation of metabolic syndrome in close relation to obesity [1]. In fact, although obesity is undoubtedly one of the main risk factors for fatty liver, since its first description it is known that it can also occur in lean subjects.
Thin people still suffer from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, several causes of this problem have been implicated, such as high fructose intake, protein malnutrition (Kwashiorkor) as well as use of steatogenic drugs (amiodarone) , tamoxifen, methotrexate, prednisolone, etc.) and genetic predisposition.
Fatty liver disease doesn't cause major problems for most people. However, it can turn into a more serious problem if it progresses into cirrhosis of the liver. Untreated cirrhosis of the liver eventually leads to liver failure or liver cancer. Your liver is an organ you can't live without.
Diagnosis. Fatty liver is most commonly diagnosed by a routine liver function test drawn from your blood. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is a specific marker for liver inflammation and is typically elevated in individuals with a fatty liver.
Although usually associated with excess body weight, it may also affect normal-weight individuals, a condition termed as lean/non-obese NAFLD. The prevalence of lean/non-obese NAFLD is around 20% within the NAFLD population, and 5% within the general population.
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): This is much more serious than a simple fatty liver. NASH means you have inflammation in your liver. The inflammation and liver cell damage that happen with NASH can cause serious problems such as fibrosis and cirrhosis, which are types of liver scarring, and liver cancer.
Advantages of ultrasound include safety, wide availability, and little associated patient discomfort. The relative cost of abdominal ultrasound is low compared to CT or MR. Unlike CT and MRI, liver iron has little effect on the ultrasound beam. Ultrasound has several disadvantages for steatosis detection and grading.
Key differences between fatty liver disease and cirrhosis
Fatty liver disease is defined by the buildup of fat cells in the liver, but cirrhosis is the formation of scar tissue on top of normal areas of tissue. Both groups of fatty liver disease (AFLD and NAFLD) can lead to cirrhosis when not treated in time.
It takes upwards of ten years for alcohol-related liver disease to progress from fatty liver through fibrosis to cirrhosis to acute on chronic liver failure. This process is silent and symptom free and can easily be missed in primary care, usually presenting with advanced cirrhosis.
DO NOT WORRY WHEN ULTRASOUND RESULT IS FATTY LIVER. Fatty liver is a condition in which liver cells accumulate 5% to 10% more fat of the liver. To determine whether the liver is fatty or not, it must be calculated based on measurements of the liver.
A significant portion of mistakes is caused by inappropriate quality of the apparatus, the presence of sonographic imaging artifacts, unfavorable anatomic variants or improper preparation of the patient for the examination.
You probably will not know you have it unless it's diagnosed during tests carried out for another reason. Occasionally, people with NASH or fibrosis (more advanced stages of NAFLD) may experience: a dull or aching pain in the top right of the tummy (over the lower right side of the ribs)
Skinny people can have fatty liver disease
Though obesity is the main risk factor for NAFLD, It's estimated that around 7% to 10% of people with NAFLD are considered lean. Like obese people with NAFLD, lean people with NAFLD often, but not always, also have metabolic syndrome.
Weight loss is key to preventing complications of fatty liver. For people who are overweight or have obesity, the best treatment for NASH is weight loss. A landmark study showed that losing 10% of one's body weight can reduce liver fat, resolve inflammation, and potentially improve scarring.