Field notes & context
MASLD, MASH, NAFLD and NASH: finding your way through the names
A terminology guide for reading older and newer liver literature together.
Expect older names in the literature
Older papers often use NAFLD and NASH, while newer discussions use MASLD and MASH. When collecting sources, keep the original term and note the definition used. A terminology change can involve differences in diagnostic criteria, so a mechanical acronym replacement may hide important distinctions between study populations.
Separate fat from inflammation
Steatosis refers to fat accumulation. Steatohepatitis involves inflammation and injury as well. These concepts should not be collapsed into one undifferentiated label. A research result about liver fat does not automatically describe every feature of inflammatory liver disease.
Keep scarring in its own column
Fibrosis refers to scarring. The presence and extent of scarring are separate questions from the amount of fat. Clinical assessment may bring together multiple kinds of information. A single number from an online form cannot describe the full state of an individual's liver health.
Use a terminology map
Our explorer provides short definitions and links to background sources. When reading a paper, write down the diagnosis definition, measurement method and outcome. Bring your own results to a qualified clinician for interpretation. The purpose of a glossary is to make the conversation easier, not to stage disease or select treatment.
Sources and further reading
Keep exploring
What changed in a liver trial? Read the endpoint before the headline ↗