Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) describes a progressive pathology that affects the liver. Fat accumulation causes fatty liver (NAFL) or steatosis to develop, which leads to lipotoxicity and in turn induces liver inflammation and apoptosis, resulting in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH can progress to fibrosis and then cirrhosis, which in some cases will lead to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Read this case study to learn how non-invasive preclinical in vivo imaging was used to longitudinally visualize, quantify, and diagnose NASH with the goal of investigating the efficacy of liver fibrosis-preventing drugs on NAFLD progression.