| [ Summary ] |
The diagnosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) requires a histopathological examination of liver biopsy samples. Confirmation of ballooning hepatocytes is particularly important for the discrimination of NASH from simple steatosis. NASH may occur in association with other liver diseases including viral hepatitis and primary biliary cholangitis. Since interface hepatitis and plasmacytic infiltration can be observed in NASH, the overlap between NASH and autoimmune hepatitis needs to be diagnosed with caution. As ballooning hepatocytes are less commonly observed in pediatric NASH, the diagnostic standard designed for adults may lead to underdiagnosis of NASH in children. Recent studies have identified unique conditions such as aggressive NASH following rapid weight loss and steatohepatitic hepatocellular carcinomas, both of which have also been introduced in this article. |