Fatty liver disease is emerging as one of the world’s fastest-growing metabolic health threats. However, many patients remain unaware of the condition until liver scarring has already begun.
Doctors now call the condition Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease, or MASLD. It was previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD.
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Some medical estimates suggest MASLD affects nearly one in three adults worldwide. However, prevalence figures vary by study design. A 2026 Global Burden of Disease analysis estimated 1.3 billion cases in 2023, equal to 16.1% of the global population.
The risk rises sharply among people with Type 2 diabetes. Research suggests that up to 70% of these patients have MASLD. The disease also has strong links with obesity, insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease and other metabolic disorders.
Priyanka Jain, Business Leader for Ultrasound at Philips Indian Subcontinent, said the focus should shift “towards identifying people at risk before irreversible liver damage develops.”
Why Fatty Liver Is Diagnosed Late
MASLD often develops without noticeable symptoms. Fat gradually builds inside the liver while patients continue to feel normal.
The disease can then progress to fibrosis, which occurs when scar tissue forms in the organ. Advanced cases may eventually lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer and other serious complications.
Routine blood tests can flag abnormal liver enzymes. However, they cannot reliably determine how much scarring has developed. Doctors need to assess fibrosis because its severity helps predict future risks and guides treatment decisions.
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Liver biopsy has traditionally played a major role in assessing fibrosis. However, the procedure requires doctors to remove a tissue sample. It also involves cost, discomfort and procedural risks, making it unsuitable for mass screening or frequent monitoring.
European clinical guidelines recommend non-invasive fibrosis testing for people with cardiometabolic risk factors. They place particular emphasis on patients with Type 2 diabetes, obesity, abnormal liver enzymes or imaging evidence of liver fat.
Early diagnosis allows doctors to identify high-risk patients sooner. They can then recommend weight management, physical activity, dietary changes and treatment for related metabolic conditions.
Ultrasound Elastography Changes Liver Care
Ultrasound elastography offers a non-invasive method for measuring liver stiffness, an important indicator of fibrosis. Doctors can conduct the assessment during a routine ultrasound examination without removing liver tissue.
Clinicians can also repeat the procedure over time. This helps them monitor disease progression, evaluate treatment response and expand liver assessment across different healthcare settings.
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A three-site retrospective study examined 107 patients with fatty liver disease, steatohepatitis or cirrhosis. Automated elastography measurements closely matched assessments made by expert clinicians. The study recorded a concordance correlation coefficient of 0.97.
The automated workflow also reduced measurement time by 60%. Manual assessments took an average of 175 seconds, compared with 70 seconds for assisted measurements. However, Philips produced the technical report, so independent studies remain important for broader validation.
Experts increasingly want healthcare systems to move from treating advanced liver disease towards earlier risk detection. As diabetes and obesity rise, accessible non-invasive testing could help prevent complications before liver damage becomes irreversible.
