Diffuse Fatty Liver What Does It Mean

Diffuse fatty liver refers to a condition where imaging tests show widespread fat accumulation in the liver tissue. This is in contrast to focal or heterogeneous fatty liver, where fat buildup occurs in specific areas. Most cases of fatty liver disease are diffuse in nature, and both diffuse and heterogeneous types generally present similar clinical symptoms and effects on liver function.

The most common causes of diffuse fatty liver include excessive nutrition, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, abdominal obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, genotype 3 hepatitis C infection, alcohol consumption, and the use of corticosteroids or other medications. These factors contribute to the accumulation of fat in the liver cells, which can eventually lead to inflammation and liver damage if not addressed.

When imaging tests detect fat accumulation in the liver but the patient experiences no symptoms and liver enzyme levels remain normal, it is referred to as simple fatty liver or non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL). However, if liver enzymes such as ALT or AST are elevated and imaging confirms fat buildup, the condition is classified as fatty liver hepatitis or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

If a liver biopsy reveals fat accumulation along with fibrous tissue growth, the condition is termed fatty liver fibrosis. In more advanced cases, when the normal liver structure is disrupted and regenerative nodules or "pseudolobules" form, it is diagnosed as fatty liver cirrhosis. If this is accompanied by impaired liver function, it may be referred to as fatty liver inflammatory cirrhosis or cirrhosis related to fatty liver disease.