MR spectroscopy of the liver - a reliable non-invasive alternative for evaluating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common conditions worldwide that targets the liver parenchyma. NAFLD represents an intrahepatic triglyceride accumulation in the absence of excessive alcohol consumption and other diseases that affect the liver parenchyma. The current "gold standard" for evaluating the amount of intrahepatic fat is represented by liver biopsy, but many patients are reluctant and hardly accept undergoing this procedure due to its invasive nature.