title: A new noninvasive technique for estimating hepatic triglyceride: will liver biopsy become redundant in diagnosing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?
abstract: Obesity and metabolic syndrome are healthcare problems that continue to rise in frequency worldwide. Both phenotypes are a strong predictor for development of liver steatosis in the context of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Ultrasound may detect steatosis, but its sensitivity is limited and liver biopsy is still considered to be the gold standard. Less invasive techniques that accurately quantify liver steatosis are warranted. Jiménez-Agüero and colleagues propose that multi-echo magnetic resonance imaging might be such a diagnostic tool. They validated multi-echo magnetic resonance imaging with measured hepatic triglyceride concentration. Their results show that this innovative technique measures the grade of steatosis in different clinical situations. Therefore, multi-echo magnetic resonance imaging might be considered for monitoring liver steatosis as an intermediate endpoint. Wide clinical applicability is limited though, as it does not allow differentiation between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.
authors.forename: Bark
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Betzel
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, the Netherlands. joostphdrenth@cs.com.
authors.forename: Joost P H
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Drenth
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides