No abstract

Hepatic venous pressure gradient and Transjugular liver biopsy show a good safety profile and radiation exposure associated with these procedures is in most of the cases low. In hepatic haemodynamic procedures, efforts should be made to reduce the radiation dose in patients with overweight/obesity and to use the minimal possible ICM volume in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Sarcopenia is becoming a well-established player in evaluating patients with chronic liver disease. Data regarding its clinical significance and consequences in the course of liver disease have been growing; many of the data support the idea that it impacts decompensation event frequency, prolonged hospitalization, and mortality, as well as providing the possibility to better prioritize patients on lists awaiting liver transplantation. When assessing the whole clinical scope of the field, which includes malnutrition and frailty, as well as the complete spectrum of muscle mass, strength, and function, it becomes clear that a well-founded approach in everyday clinical practice is essential. In this respect, this article attempts to unveil the most recently published data regarding possible methods and modalities that could be used to diagnose sarcopenia as early as possible, along with the required accuracy and reliability. From the most important field discoveries to data that need further clarification, the merits and weaknesses of the very diverse existing evaluation methods are presented. Finally, a critical overview is given, in an attempt to discern study lines of importance from those that could pose further ambiguity for the theme. The author also poses relevant questions that remain unanswered but are of clinical importance in the field.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease has become the most common chronic liver disease as well as the most common cause for liver transplantation. With its different methods types, elastography of the liver can be used for non-invasive evaluation of the liver fibrosis and steatosis degree. The article focuses on the description, use, advantages, and limitations of the currently known elastographic techniques. It proposes a simple risk assessment algorithm for the liver fibrosis progress evaluation. The following is an overview of the use of liver and spleen elastography in the detection of clinically relevant portal hypertension. It concludes with research and technological possibilities that could be important to the field in the upcoming years.