As far as physical symptoms, MASH can present as mild pain on the right side of the abdomen (where the liver is located) or general fatigue, says Ali. But more often than not, people don’t experience symptoms at all — or at least none that can easily be directly attributed to liver disease.
“Most patients don’t even realize they have it,” Ali says. “The liver doesn’t make itself known until it’s progressed beyond mild inflammation. If someone’s experiencing symptoms, their MASH tends to be advancing.”
For this reason, the first signs of MASH usually show up on routine blood work that you might get during an annual physical or as part of an ER visit. It’s called a comprehensive metabolic panel, which includes liver enzymes. “If results are abnormal, it usually warrants further investigation,” he explains.
From there, your doctor may order imaging studies, such as an ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI scan, which can uncover some liver changes. For a definitive diagnosis, a biopsy used to be done. Now, newer, noninvasive tests, such as a FibroScan or blood-based biomarker test, are often used instead.
