THE ROLE OF MODERN ULTRASONIC METHODS IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF LIVER FAT INFILTRATION: METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS

Fatty infiltration of the liver (steatosis, steatohepatosis ) is a chronic disease characterized by excessive accumulation of triglycerides in hepatocytes, which leads to disruption of intrahepatic metabolic processes and the formation of progressive structural and functional changes in the liver parenchyma. According to epidemiological studies, the prevalence of metabolically associated fatty liver disease (MASD) in the general population reaches 25-30%, and among patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus exceeds 60-70%, which determines the high medical and social significance of this pathology. Modern ultrasound technologies have proven themselves as a non-invasive, safe, and accessible method for the primary diagnosis of liver diseases. The use of multiparametric ultrasound, including scale scanning, Doppler ultrasound, and elastography, significantly expands the diagnostic capabilities of ultrasound. A comprehensive ultrasound approach allows increasing the accuracy of detecting fatty liver infiltration, conducting differential diagnosis of diffuse diseases, and more objectively assessing the degree of fibrous changes, which is of fundamental importance for risk stratification and choosing the optimal management tactics for patients.肝脂肪浸润（fatty infiltration of the liver）是一类以肝细胞内甘油三酯过度蓄积为特征的慢性疾病，可导致肝内代谢过程紊乱，并引发肝实质出现进行性结构与功能改变。据流行病学研究显示，代谢相关脂肪性肝病（metabolically associated fatty liver disease, MASD）在普通人群中的患病率可达25%~30%，在肥胖及2型糖尿病患者中患病率则超过60%~70%，这一特征凸显了该疾病极高的医学与社会价值。现代超声技术已被证实为一种非侵入性、安全且易于开展的肝脏疾病初步诊断方法。多参数超声技术（包括灰阶扫描、多普勒超声及弹性成像）的应用，极大拓展了超声检查的诊断能力。综合超声检查方案可提升肝脂肪浸润的检出准确率，实现弥漫性肝病的鉴别诊断，并更客观地评估纤维化改变程度，这对于患者的风险分层及最优诊疗策略的选择具有关键意义。