Noninvasive monitoring of liver fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a clinical case
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common liver disease in Western countries. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is characterized by excessive accumulation of fat in the liver, is associated with insulin resistance and is determined in the presence of steatosis (according to the results of ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging or histological examination). Fibrosis is the most important prognostic factor for steatohepatitis, which correlates with outcomes and mortality caused by impaired liver function. Evaluation of liver fibrosis and steatosis is important for determining the stage of the disease, the tactics of patient management and the prognosis of the disease in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Currently, the "gold standard" for diagnosing of liver fibrosis - a liver biopsy - is giving way to simpler noninvasive techniques. Today they are the first-line tests for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis and steatosis. Non-invasive methods are simple, affordable and reproducible in routine medical practice. This clinical case demonstrates the possibility of the combined use of biochemical (FibroTest, eLIFT) and imaging method - transient elastometry (TE) as a monitoring of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The combined approach allows to increase the specificity and sensitivity of the determination of steatosis and liver fibrosis and to avoid a liver biopsy.