Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease CT
Introduction
Overview
Overview
CT scan may be helpful in the diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Findings on a CT scan diagnostic for non-alcoholic liver disease include a diffuse, low-density hepatic parenchyma without mass effect.
CT scan
CT scan
- CT without contrast is an effective test for elavating liver strucutre and liver fat content.
- Useful for evaluating hepato-biliary system and rule out other causes of liver disease.
- Contrast enhanced CT has a sensitivity up to 84-87% and specificity of 75-86%.
- The only limitation of a CT scan is it cannot distinguish between fatty liver disease, steatohepatitis, and steatohepatitis plus fibrosis.
- Findings include:
- A diffuse, low-density hepatic parenchyma
- Focal fatty liver appears as a non-spherical shape without mass effect.
References
References
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Vamsikrishna Gunnam M.B.B.S [2]