Nonalcoholic Fatty liver Disease Bedside Ultrasound Diagnosis

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of the neck. The thyroid gland is located beneath Adam’s apple, along the front of the windpipe. It has two side lobes that are joined in the middle by a bridge (isthmus).

Thyroid hormones are a group of hormones secreted by the thyroid. Thyroxine, also known as T4, is the primary hormone. Thyroid hormones influence metabolism, growth and development, and body temperature throughout the body. Adequate thyroid hormone levels are critical for brain development during infancy and childhood. Clinical studies have found a link between hypothyroidism and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Steatosis, also known as fatty liver, is a common side effect of moderate to severe insult to Hepatocytes, which are major parenchymal cells in the liver that play important roles in metabolism, detoxification, and protein synthesis. By secreting innate immunity proteins, hepatocytes also activate innate immunity against invading microorganisms.

When the thyroid is underactive, the metabolism slows, resulting in an increase in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. This causes fat to accumulate in the body, increasing the risk of developing the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has become one of the most common liver diseases in the world in the last 20 years, affecting nearly 25% of the world’s population, including children.

There is an algorithm for chronic abnormal liver enzymes that shows how ultrasound can be used to reduce the need for a liver biopsy in the diagnosis of NAFLD.

Although clinicians should be aware of ultrasound’s known limitations, such as the inability to grade or stage fibrosis in NAFLD patients.

We recommend the following two ultrasound transducers for the aforementioned ultrasound applications:

CC-3.1 Color Doppler Wireless Convex Ultrasound Scanner 3.5-5MHz. This device is best suited for detecting fatty liver disease that is not caused by alcohol. It enables you to visualize a liver function and make quick and confident diagnoses.

L2CD Linear Wireless Ultrasound Scanner – Equipped with a high resolution 7.5 MHz transducers, this device is ideal for measuring thyroid size and morphology with subjects sitting and their necks slightly extended. Thyroid volume is defined as enlarged based on age, gender, and body surface area reference values.

An anesthesiologist performs this procedure.

Reference: Hypothyroidism and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Pathophysiological Associations and Therapeutic Implications
Hepatic Steatosis and Thyroid Function Tests in Overweight and Obese Children