Fatty liver disease is now the most common chronic liver condition in the world, affecting roughly 1 in 4 adults (Tilg et al., JAMA, 2026). The good news? When caught early, it is often preventable and even reversible. Our practice offers advanced, painless screening and the latest FDA-approved treatments, so you can take control of your liver health before problems develop.
What are MAFLD and MASH?
MAFLD (metabolic dysfunction–associated fatty liver disease) means extra fat has built up in the liver in people who have certain metabolic risk factors. For many people, this fat is harmless at first. But in some, the liver becomes inflamed and injured, a more serious stage called MASH (metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis).
Over time, ongoing inflammation can lead to fibrosis (scarring of the liver). If scarring advances, it can progress to cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer. The amount of scarring is the single most important predictor of long-term outcomes, which is exactly why early detection matters (Tilg et al., JAMA, 2026).
Who is at risk?
You may be at higher risk for fatty liver disease if you have any of the following (Tilg et al., JAMA, 2026; Byrne et al., Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2025):
- Overweight or obesity, especially extra weight around the waist
- Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
- Insulin resistance
- High blood pressure
- High triglycerides or low HDL (“good”) cholesterol
- Metabolic syndrome (a combination of the above)
Risk also rises with older age, male sex, menopause, and certain inherited genetic factors. Importantly, many people with fatty liver disease feel completely well and have no symptoms, which is why screening is so valuable.
How we screen for it
Screening is simple and does not require a liver biopsy for most people. We follow a stepwise approach recommended by national and international liver guidelines (European Association for the Study of the Liver et al., Diabetologia, 2024; Leung et al., JAMA, 2023):
- A simple blood test score (FIB-4). This uses routine blood work to estimate your risk of liver scarring.
- Elastography in our office. If your risk is unclear or elevated, we measure your liver’s stiffness, a marker of scarring using our Velacur device. This test is quick, painless, and completely non-invasive, with no needles and no recovery time. Liver stiffness measurement is highly accurate for identifying meaningful fibrosis and helps us decide who needs treatment (Alamgir et al., Drugs, 2026).
Together, these tools let us detect liver scarring early and stage it accurately—often in a single visit.
How we treat MAFLD and MASH
The foundation of treatment is always healthy lifestyle change. Losing about 7–10% of body weight can calm liver inflammation and even reverse some scarring, and regular exercise helps the liver even without weight loss (Zhang & Brandman, JAMA Internal Medicine, 2025).
For patients with moderate to advanced scarring (F2–F3 fibrosis), there are now effective FDA-approved medications:
- Resmetirom (Rezdiffra), a once-daily pill designed specifically to treat MASH with F2–F3 fibrosis, which improved liver inflammation and scarring in clinical trials (Zhang & Brandman, JAMA Internal Medicine, 2025).
- Semaglutide (Wegovy), recently approved for MASH with F2–F3 fibrosis, which also improves weight, blood sugar, and heart health.
We tailor treatment to your fibrosis stage and overall metabolic health, and we partner with you on diet, exercise, and managing related conditions like diabetes and high cholesterol.
Take the next step
If you have diabetes, obesity, or other risk factors, or you simply want peace of mind about your liver, schedule an evaluation with our office today. With in-office Velacur elastography and the newest treatments available, we can check your liver health quickly and help you protect it for years to come.
Call us or request an appointment online to get started.