Q: My father passed away due to unexplained liver problems that we only now know was fatty liver disease. It’s 20 years later, and a CT scan shows some fat in my own liver. My liver readings are normal, but I’m the same age as my father was when his issues began. Should I be concerned?

This page requires Javascript.

Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

kAmpi %96 E6C> 72EEJ =:G6C 5:D62D6 C676CD E@ 2 C2?86 @7 =:G6C 5:D@C56CD E92E 2C6 ?@E 42FD65 3J 2=4@9@= 4@?DF>AE:@?[ 2FE@:>>F?6 5:D62D6[ 5CF8 FD6 @C G:CFD] xE’D E96 >@DE 4@>>@? =:G6C 5:D62D6 πŸ˜• E96 &]$][ 2?5 :E πŸ˜€ 6DE:>2E65 E@ 27764E FA E@ b_T @7 :?5:G:5F2=D] ~?46 <?@H? 2D ?@?2=4@9@=:4 72EEJ =:G6C 5:D62D6[ E96 4@?5:E:@? πŸ˜€ ?@H >@C6 244FC2E6=J 42==65 >6E23@=:4\2DD@4:2E65 72EEJ =:G6C 5:D62D6[ @C |pu{s]k^Am

kAm*@FC 72E96C’D 962=E9 AC@3=6>D 2C@D6 H96? E9:D EJA6 @7 72EEJ =:G6C 5:D62D6 H2D πŸ˜• E96 62C=J DE286D @7 36:?8 F?56CDE@@5] p=E9@F89 2=4@9@=\:?5F465 492?86D E@ E96 =:G6C H6C6 7:CDE 56D4C:365 πŸ˜• E96 `gc_D[ :E H2D?’E F?E:= E96 `hg_D E92E 2 >6E23@=:4 42FD6 7@C 72EEJ =:G6C 5:D62D6 3682? E@ 6>6C86] p D6C:6D @7 DEF5:6D 4@?5F4E65 E9C@F89@FE E96 564256 C6G62=65 E92E >6E23@=:4 23?@C>2=:E:6D F?C6=2E65 E@ 2=4@9@= FD6 42? 2=D@ 42FD6 72EEJ =:G6C 5:D62D6] p== E96D6 J62CD =2E6C[ H:E9 2 4=62C6C F?56CDE2?5:?8 @7 |pu{s[ J@F 2C6 πŸ˜• 2 36EE6C A@D:E:@? E@ F?56CDE2?5 2?5 >@?:E@C E96 962=E9 @7 J@FC @H? =:G6C]k^Am

kAmu2EEJ =:G6C 5:D62D6 πŸ˜€ ;FDE 2D :E D@F?5D β€” 2? 23?@C>2= 3F:=5FA @7 72E πŸ˜• E96 =:G6C] (9:=6 2 962=E9J =:G6C 4@?E2:?D D@>6 72E[ H96? E96 2>@F?E 368:?D E@ 6I4665 dT E@ `_T[ :E πŸ˜€ 4@?D:56C65 E@ 36 72EEJ =:G6C 5:D62D6] %9:D 6I46DD 72E EC:886CD 2? :?7=2>>2E@CJ C6DA@?D6 E92E[ @G6C E:>6[ =625D E@ =:G6C 52>286] %92E >62?D E96 =:G6C’D 9F?5C65D @7 >6E23@=:4 7F?4E:@?D[ H9:49 :?4=F56 7:=E6C:?8 E@I:?D[ 2:5:?8 πŸ˜• 5:86DE:@?[ 3=@@5\DF82C >2?286>6?E[ 2?5 4C62E:?8 2?5 DE@C:?8 ?FEC:6?ED[ 2C6 25G6CD6=J 27764E65] %96 4@?5:E:@? πŸ˜€ =:?<65 E@ 36:?8 @G6CH6:89E @C @36D6[ 9:89 3=@@5\=:A:5 =6G6=D[ 9:89 3=@@5 AC6DDFC6[ 2?5 AC65:236E6D 2?5 5:236E6D]k^Am

kAm%96C6 πŸ˜€ D@>6 6G:56?46 @7 2 9:896C C:D< @7 56G6=@A:?8 |pu{s H96? E96 4@?5:E:@? CF?D πŸ˜• 2 72>:=J] w@H6G6C[ E96 =:76DEJ=6 2?5 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 724E@CD E92E H6 AC6G:@FD=J >6?E:@?65 2AA62C E@ A=2J 2 >@C6 D:8?:7:42?E C@=6] %96 4@?5:E:@? 92D 76H DJ>AE@>D] $@>6 A6@A=6 56D4C:36 766=:?8 E:C65[ 2?5 D@>6 6IA6C:6?46 5:D4@>7@CE @C A2:? πŸ˜• E96 FAA6C C:89E A@CE:@? @7 E96 235@>6?] %9:D >2<6D E96 5:D62D6 492==6?8:?8 E@ 5:28?@D6] kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qmp3?@C>2= C6DF=ED @7 =:G6C\6?KJ>6 E6DED 42? 36 2? :?5:42E@C] $@ 42? 2 DE:77 @C 6?=2C865 =:G6C[ 2D H6== 2D ;2F?5:46[ H9:49 πŸ˜€ 2 4@?5:E:@? E92E 42FD6D E96 D<:? 2?5 E96 H9:E6D @7 E96 6J6D E@ EFC? J6==@H]k^DA2?mk^Am

kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm(96? 72EEJ =:G6C 5:D62D6 πŸ˜€ DFDA64E65[ :>28:?8 E6DED >2J 36 FD65 E@ 2DD6DD E96 2>@F?E @7 72E πŸ˜• E96 =:G6C] p 3:@ADJ E@ 4964< 7@C 23?@C>2= 2>@F?ED @7 D42C E:DDF6 πŸ˜• E96 =:G6C[ <?@H? 2D 7:3C@D:D[ >2J 2=D@ 36 C6BF6DE65]k^DA2?mk^Am

kAmxE’D :>A@CE2?E E92E[ 8@:?8 7@CH2C5[ J@F =6E J@FC 962=E9 42C6 AC@G:56CD <?@H J@F 92G6 2 72>:=J 9:DE@CJ @7 72EEJ =:G6C 5:D62D6] |62?H9:=6[ J@F 42? E2<6 DE6AD E@ C65F46 J@FC C:D<] %96D6 :?4=F56 DE2J:?8 2H2J 7C@> 2=4@9@=[ >2:?E2:?:?8 2 962=E9J H6:89E[ 49@@D:?8 2 962=E97F= 5:6E C:49 πŸ˜• 7C6D9[ A=2?E\32D65 7@@5D[ 2?5 86EE:?8 C68F=2C 6I6C4:D6]k^Am

ASK THE DOCTORS appears three days a week. It is written by Eve Glazier, M.D., and Elizabeth Ko, M.D. Send questions to [email protected], or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o Media Relations, UCLA Health, 924 Westwood Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA, 90095.