Table 1.
Techniques | Advantages | Disadvantages | Clinical applications |
US | Widely available, easy to perform, less expensive | Operator dependency, limited accuracy in diagnosing mild hepatic steatosis, rather qualitative nature | Population screening, initial examination for subjects with suspected nonalcoholic fatty liver disease |
CT | Widely available, easy to perform | Potential radiation hazard, limited accuracy in diagnosing mild hepatic steatosis | Detecting moderate-to-severe hepatic steatosis in donor candidates for liver transplantation |
MRI | Highly accurate and reproducible for measuring hepatic fat | High cost, long examination time | Follow-up of response after therapy in practice or clinical trials |
MRS | Highly accurate and reproducible for measuring hepatic fat | High cost, long examination time, evaluation of small portion of the liver, expertise required for data acquisition and analysis | Follow-up of response after therapy in practice or clinical trials |
US: Ultrasonography; CT: Computed tomography; MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging; MRS: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy.