Functional imaging encompasses techniques capable of assessing physiological parameters of tissues, and offers useful clinical information in addition to that obtained from morphological imaging.

The health burden of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is multifaceted. In addition to sequelae of end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma, the deleterious role of hepatic steatosis in the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease is also well established.

We read with great interest the article by Reig et al., published in Journal of Hepatology, which reported the impact of direct acting antivirals (DAA) on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after achievement of complete radiological response by resection, ablation or chemoembolization.

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) increases with age, but protective antibody responses decrease with time after infants are immunized against hepatitis B virus (HBV). We investigated whether immunization of infants against HBV prevents against their development of HCC as adults. We also searched for strategies to maximize the cancer-preventive effects.

Direct-acting antivirals have become widely used for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection with decompensated cirrhosis. Virological responses are excellent and early improvements in liver function, at least in a proportion of patients, have been observed but the longer term impact of viral clearance on end-stage liver disease complications is unclear.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection continues to be a major health burden worldwide. Currently available antiviral treatment options for chronic hepatitis B include pegylated interferon alpha2a (PEG-IFN) or nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs).

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA in serum has recently been linked to efficacy and prognosis of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treatment. This study explored the nature, origin, underlying mechanisms, and potential clinical significance of serum HBV RNA.

Hepatocytes in which the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is replicating exhibit loss of the chromatin modifying Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), resulting in re-expression of specific, cellular PRC2-repressed genes. Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM) is a PRC2-repressed gene, normally expressed in hepatic progenitors, but re-expressed in hepatic cancer stem cells (hCSCs). Herein, we investigated the functional significance of EpCAM re-expression in HBV-mediated hepatocarcinogenesis.

Response-guided therapy has been confirmed to be an effective strategy for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in the peginterferon (PegIFN) era, but no randomized trial utilizing this strategy has been conducted in chronic hepatitis B.

Statins are associated with delayed fibrosis progression and a reduced risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). Limited data exist regarding the most effective type and dose of statin in this population.