Fatty infiltration of the liver, also known as fatty liver, is an accumulation of fat in the liver cells. It is not certain how fatty liver occurs but could possibly be fat that is transported from other parts of the body into the liver.
Causes and higher incidence of fatty liver can include heavy alcohol consumption, extreme weight gain, diabetes mellitus, tuberculosis, gastric bypass surgery, use of corticosteroids.
Fatty liver can be diagnosed by the presence of an enlarged liver, elevated liver enzymes, biopsy of the liver, and imaging studies including ultrasound and CT.
On ultrasound images a fatty liver will appear bright in a ripple pattern. CT studies of the liver will present less dense than a normal liver when fatty liver occurs.
Simple fatty liver is not associated with other liver abnormalities however individuals who have fatty liver due to heavy alcohol consumption and continue to drink excessively can result with alcoholic hepatitis or alcoholic cirrhosis.
Fatty liver can occur in patients that do not drink excessively as well. Patients that are at a higher risk for developing fatty liver without excessive drinking include middle aged, significantly overweight, and diabetic individual. These individuals that have a fatty liver the liver can progress to the development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or steatonecrosis or necrosis. It is possible that between 20-40% of grossly overweight individuals will develop NASH.
Treatment for fatty liver is related to it's cause. Obese individuals will benefit with weight loss. Heavy drinkers will benefit from discontinuing alcohol consumption. Patients with diabetes mellitus can benefit from controlling the diabetes with diet, drugs or insulin.
1 comment:
Hi, I'm a healthy male (137 lb and 5'6", BMI=22), one year ago my upper abdomen ultrasound showed little fatty infiltration (I was 144lb (BMI 23) at that time). but my liver tests, blood tests, blood sugars, cholesterol levels, digestive system tests are normal (recently checked these again). I'm non diabetic, non smoker and non-alcoholic. I have no tenderness in upper right abdomen.
Should I again go for ultrasound to check for the fatty infiltration?
Could it lead to any problem in future or it was a temporary problem? My doctor told me its normal. What could be the cause of fatty infiltration as I was never overweight in my life.
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