Tracking liver disease progression using non-invasive tests over 20 years

This is a long-term study that follows patients with chronic liver disease—such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, alcohol-related liver disease, or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease—for up to 20 years. The researchers use non-invasive tests (like blood work and ultrasound) instead of liver biopsies to monitor how your liver disease develops over time. The goal is to understand whether these simpler, safer tests can reliably predict how your disease will progress and how well you'll do in the future.

Many patients with chronic liver disease are afraid of liver biopsies because they involve inserting a needle into the liver. This study exists to see if doctors can monitor liver disease just as well using blood tests, imaging, and other non-invasive methods, so patients can avoid this procedure while still getting accurate information about their disease outlook.