Non-alcoholic fatty liver – Perhaps not so benign

The defining histological feature of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is lipid droplets within hepatocytes. There are however, a range of histological changes that may accompany hepatic steatosis including combinations of lobular and/or portal inflammation, hepatocyte ballooning and fibrosis. The significance of these accompanying histological changes, is that they help define the clinical course of the patient. Early studies demonstrated a dichotomy in outcomes based upon the presence or absence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).