Exploring non-invasive diagnostics for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease

Abstract

The population with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is increasingly common worldwide. Identification of people at risk of progression to advanced stages is necessary to timely offer interventions and appropriate care. Liver biopsy is currently considered the gold standard for the diagnosis and staging of MAFLD, but it has associated risks and limitations. This has spurred the exploration of non-invasive diagnostics for MAFLD, especially for steatohepatitis and fibrosis. These non-invasive approaches mostly include biomarkers and algorithms derived from anthropometric measurements, serum tests, imaging or stool metagenome profiling. However, they still need rigorous and widespread clinical validation for the diagnostic performance.

Keywords: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease; Non-invasive diag-nostics; Circulating biomarkers; Imaging biomarkers; Stool microbial biomarkers

Core Tip: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a bur-densome public health problem. The diagnostic assessment of MAFLD is an important step for timely management. Extensive effort and encouraging progress have been made to establish non-invasive tests to diagnose steatohepatitis and fibrosis.