title: Pathologic assessment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
abstract: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents one of the most common forms of liver disease and is considered the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. Within the NAFLD spectrum, simple steatosis is considered benign, whereas non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) may progress to cirrhosis. The distinction can be made only by liver biopsy. There is not complete agreement on criteria for diagnosis or the features used for grading and staging lesions. This article reviews some of the studies dealing with the histopathology of NAFLD, with attempts to develop a standardized pathologic scoring system for NASH.
authors.affiliation: Center for Liver Diseases at Inova Fairfax Hospital, 3300 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA 22042, USA.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bondini
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Kleiner
authors.forename: Zachary D
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gramlich
authors.forename: Zobair M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Younossi
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D012720:Severity of Illness Index