Application of machine learning and deep learning in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: a...

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) can progress to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and liver fibrosis, contributing to a heavier global health burden. Non-invasive diagnostic tools developed using machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), two representative artificial intelligence algorithms, are increasingly being explored for MASH and its related fibrosis assessment.

This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of different ML and DL models and identify the top-performing models for diagnosing MASH and associated liver fibrosis.

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library from inception to May 18, 2025. Pooled area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) values with 95 % confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive values, and negative predictive values were also recorded.

Of 4,314 studies initially identified, 106 met the inclusion criteria, with 35 studies (ML: n = 28; DL: n = 7) providing data for analysis. Logistic Regression and Neural Network are the most commonly algorithms applied in ML and DL, respectively. The pooled AUROCs for diagnosing MASH were 0.833 (95 %CI: 0.806-0.860) for ML models and 0.841 (95 %CI: 0.782-0.900) for DL models. Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) and ResNet50 were the best-performing models for diagnosing MASH within ML and DL algorithms, respectively, achieving corresponding AUROCs of 0.920 (95 %CI: 0.916-0.924) and 0.960 (95 %CI: 0.951-0.969). For fibrosis diagnosis, ML models had a pooled AUROC of 0.826 (95 %CI: 0.792-0.860), with Categorical Boosting (CatBoost) achieving the highest AUROC of 0.960 (95 %CI: 0.950-0.970). DL models yielded the pooled AUROC of 0.875 (95 %CI: 0.816-0.934) for fibrosis diagnosis.

Both ML and DL models demonstrated strong diagnostic performance for MASH and liver fibrosis, with DL achieving marginally higher AUROCs. AI-driven approaches show promise in MASLD management.