Imaging diagnosis and quantification of hepatic steatosis: is it an accepted alternative to needle biopsy?

Hepatic steatosis is a frequently encountered disease in medical practice and it has a great importance due to the potential evolution towards cirrhosis. The clinical and laboratory evaluation has a quite reduced positive predictive value. On the other hand, a series of imaging techniques may be used for the diagnosis and quantification of steatosis: magnetic resonance imaging, computerized tomography, and not least, ultrasonography. The contribution of each of the afore mentioned methods in the diagnosis of the hepatic steatosis will be discussed.