Diagnosis of Naturally-Occurring Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in Obese Rhesus Monkeys using Dual-Energy CT (DECT) and Histopathology Criteria

Obese patients are at significant risk for the development of NAFLD. An obese NAFLD animal model that fully reflects NAFLD in obese humans can assist in the study of the mechanisms of NAFLD and of potential therapeutics to reduce NAFLD. 37 male monkeys (7–20yrs, 7–18kg; 25 of which were significantly overweight u003e12 kg) were grouped into moderate steatosis (Mod, n=19), mild steatosis (Mild, n=12) and no steatosis (Norm, n=6) by ultrasound evaluation. DECT was utilized for quantifying liver fat content in 37 monkeys together with the relationship of NAFLD to severity of obesity and to circulating biomarkers. Within 2 weeks after DECT, pathological diagnoses of liver needle biopsy of 24/37 monkeys were established using Hu0026E and Masson staining. Liver sections were scored by one pathologist first by the NAFLD Activity Score (NAS) then the fibrosis score. DECT quantified 19, 12 and 6 monkeys with 10–30%, 5–10% and u003c 5% fat content in Mod, Mild and Norm group, respectively. The Mod and Mild groups showed increa...