Evaluation methods of hepatic steatosis: From conventional techniques to emerging biomarkers

Core Tip

Core Tip: This review provides a comprehensive overview of hepatic steatosis evaluation methods, ranging from conventional ultrasound and liver biopsy to advanced techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging-derived proton density fat fraction, attenuation-based ultrasound, and emerging blood-based and epigenetic biomarkers. By integrating multimodal diagnostic strategies, including artificial intelligence-assisted imaging and methylation profiling, clinicians can improve the diagnosis, risk stratification, and therapeutic monitoring of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. The review also highlights the evolving role of steatosis quantification as a treatment response marker and future directions in precision hepatology.