Ultrasound tests to find and track fatty liver in children
Quantitative Ultrasound To Diagnose Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children.
This project develops easy-to-use ultrasound methods to find and monitor liver fat in children who are overweight or obese.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11326290 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would get noninvasive ultrasound scans that use quantitative measurements to estimate how much fat is in the liver. The team is creating improved analysis methods that work on full-size clinical ultrasound machines and on lower-cost portable point-of-care ultrasound devices. They plan to compare and validate these ultrasound measures against reference standards in children, and to make the technique reliable across different machine brands. The goal is a practical, accurate test that can be used more widely outside specialized radiology departments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Best candidates are children about 9 to 17 years old who are overweight or obese and are at risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Not a fit: Adults, children without liver fat risk factors, or patients who already need a liver biopsy for advanced disease may not gain direct benefit from this ultrasound-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give children an easier, safer way to detect and follow fatty liver earlier so care can start sooner.
How similar studies have performed: Prior ultrasound approaches have shown promise but have been inconsistent in children, so this project builds on preliminary results to improve accuracy and portability.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sirlin, Claude B — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Sirlin, Claude B
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.