Liver :: New techniques redefine assessment of liver disease

Research presented at Digestive Disease Week? 2007 (DDW?) introduces unique methods for evaluating patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

NAFLD is the most common liver disease in the world and the development of novel procedures for definitively diagnosing the disease and assessing its prognosis is extremely important for tailoring effective treatments.

DDW is the largest international gathering of physicians and researchers in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.

“Defeating the most common liver disease means continuing research in a field that is progressively transforming,” said Jacquelyn J. Maher, M.D., University of California, San Francisco. “The methods highlighted in these studies will permit doctors to accurately identify NAFLD and potentially predict treatment outcomes, using less invasive approaches than the current standards.”