Hepatic steatosis
Updates to Article Attributes
Hepatic steatosis, also known as hepatosteatosis, refers to an increase of intracellular fat in the liver and is defined when ≥5% of the weight of the liver is intrahepatic fat 3.
It is widely mischaracterized by both radiologists and sonographers as 'fatty infiltration' but the fat is in the hepatocytes and not in the extracellular matrix.On imaging grounds, it can broadly be divided into two groups.
focal hepatic steatosis (focal hepatic fat)
diffuse hepatic steatosis (diffuse hepatic fat)
A third form, multifocal nodular hepatic steatosis is also rarely seen.
Radiographic features
Ultrasound
Ultrasound B-mode imaging is preferred as the first-line diagnostic modality for hepatic steatosis because of its wide availability, low cost, non-invasive, does not expose to ionising radiation, repeatable, and well accepted by patients 2.
The degree of diffuse hepatic steatosis can be graded according to several different scoring systems, including the Hamaguchi score, US-FLI score and hepatorenal sonographic index 2.
Attenuation imaging is also another new method which can be used for quantifying degree of steatosis.
See also
-<li>-<a href="/articles/focal-hepatic-steatosis">focal hepatic steatosis</a> (focal hepatic fat)</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/diffuse-hepatic-steatosis">diffuse hepatic steatosis</a> (diffuse hepatic fat)</li>-</ul><p>A third form, <a href="/articles/multifocal-nodular-hepatic-steatosis">multifocal nodular hepatic steatosis</a> is also rarely seen.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>Ultrasound</h5><p>Ultrasound B-mode imaging is preferred as the first-line diagnostic modality for hepatic steatosis because of its wide availability, low cost, non-invasive, does not expose to ionising radiation, repeatable, and well accepted by patients <sup>2</sup>.</p><p>The degree of <a href="/articles/diffuse-hepatic-steatosis">diffuse hepatic steatosis</a> can be <a href="/articles/diffuse-hepatic-steatosis-grading">graded</a> according to several different scoring systems, including the Hamaguchi score, US-FLI score and hepatorenal sonographic index <sup>2</sup>.</p><h4>See also</h4><ul><li><a href="/articles/diffuse-hepatic-steatosis-grading">grading of diffuse hepatic steatosis</a></li></ul>- +<li><p><a href="/articles/focal-hepatic-steatosis">focal hepatic steatosis</a> (focal hepatic fat)</p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/diffuse-hepatic-steatosis">diffuse hepatic steatosis</a> (diffuse hepatic fat)</p></li>
- +</ul><p>A third form, <a href="/articles/multifocal-nodular-hepatic-steatosis">multifocal nodular hepatic steatosis</a> is also rarely seen.</p><h4>Radiographic features</h4><h5>Ultrasound</h5><p>Ultrasound B-mode imaging is preferred as the first-line diagnostic modality for hepatic steatosis because of its wide availability, low cost, non-invasive, does not expose to ionising radiation, repeatable, and well accepted by patients <sup>2</sup>.</p><p>The degree of <a href="/articles/diffuse-hepatic-steatosis">diffuse hepatic steatosis</a> can be <a href="/articles/diffuse-hepatic-steatosis-grading">graded</a> according to several different scoring systems, including the Hamaguchi score, US-FLI score and hepatorenal sonographic index <sup>2</sup>.</p><p><a href="/articles/attenuation-imaging-ultrasound" title="Attenuation imaging (ultrasound)">Attenuation imaging</a> is also another new method which can be used for quantifying degree of steatosis.</p><h4>See also</h4><ul><li><p><a href="/articles/diffuse-hepatic-steatosis-grading">grading of diffuse hepatic steatosis</a></p></li></ul>
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