Non-invasive testing in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Gastroenterology
• Metabolic Diseases

Background:

• Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly NAFLD, affects up to 30% globally.
• MASLD is linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes, potentially progressing to cirrhosis and cancer.
• Accurate fibrosis staging is crucial for MASLD management and complication prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of non-invasive tests (NITs) in MASLD diagnosis and fibrosis staging.
• To present NITs as essential alternatives to invasive liver biopsy.
• To emphasize the role of NITs in guiding clinical management and monitoring disease progression.

Main Methods:

• Review of current non-invasive diagnostic and monitoring tools for MASLD.
• Inclusion of blood-based biomarkers: Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score, NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS), Enhanced Liver Fibrosis (ELF) test.
• Inclusion of imaging modalities: Vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE), Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE).

Main Results:

• NITs offer safer and more accessible methods for identifying liver fibrosis.
• These tests are crucial for assessing disease severity and guiding treatment decisions.
• NITs facilitate monitoring of disease progression, especially with new therapies.

Conclusions:

• Non-invasive testing is pivotal for effective MASLD management.
• NITs provide reliable alternatives to liver biopsy for diagnosis and monitoring.
• Adoption of NITs improves patient care by minimizing risks associated with invasive procedures.