Table 1 Noninvasive imaging assessment of NAFLD and advanced fibrosis

US^a

• Noninvasive

• Inexpensive

• Widely available

• Fair accuracy in moderate to severe hepatic steatosis (≥ S2)^a

• ↓sensitivity when hepatic steatosis < 20–33%^a

• Operator-dependent

• ↓accuracy in patients with chronic liver disease or obesity

VCTE (CAP^a & LSM^b)

• Noninvasive

• Inexpensive

• Widely available

• Reproducible

• Advanced fibrosis staging^b

• Technical limitations in patients with ascites, morbid obesity, or ↑chest wall fat

• Measurement failure

MRI-PDFF^a & MRE^b

• Noninvasive

• Quantification of hepatic steatosis^a (helpful in patients with ↓grade hepatic steatosis)

• Excellent reproducibility

• Advanced fibrosis staging^b

• Expensive

• Small sample volume/not convenient for patients with uneven fatty changes^a