Researchers in Japan created an AI that can detect fatty liver disease from ordinary chest X-rays—an unexpected and low-cost method that could transform early diagnosis. The model proved highly accurate and may offer a fast, affordable way to flag this silent but serious condition.
FULL STORY
An AI developed in Japan can now detect fatty liver disease from regular chest X-rays, opening the door to faster, cheaper, and more accessible screening. Credit: Shutterstock
Fatty liver disease, caused by the accumulation of fat in the liver, is estimated to affect one in four people worldwide. If left untreated, it can lead to serious complications, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer, making it crucial to detect early and initiate treatment.
Currently, standard tests for diagnosing fatty liver disease include ultrasounds, CTs, and MRIs, which require costly specialized equipment and facilities. In contrast, chest X-rays are performed more frequently, are relatively inexpensive, and involve low radiation exposure. Although this test is primarily used to examine the condition of the lungs and heart, it also captures part of the liver, making it possible to detect signs of fatty liver disease. However, the relationship between chest X-rays and fatty liver disease has rarely been a subject of in-depth study.
Therefore, a research group led by Associate Professor Sawako Uchida-Kobayashi and Associate Professor Daiju Ueda at Osaka Metropolitan University's Graduate School of Medicine developed an AI model that can detect the presence of fatty liver disease from chest X-ray images.
In this retrospective study, a total of 6,599 chest X-ray images containing data from 4,414 patients were used to develop an AI model utilizing controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) scores. The AI model was verified to be highly accurate, with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) ranging from 0.82 to 0.83.
"The development of diagnostic methods using easily obtainable and inexpensive chest X-rays has the potential to improve fatty liver detection. We hope it can be put into practical use in the future," stated Professor Uchida-Kobayashi.
Story Source:
Materials[1] provided by Osaka Metropolitan University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Daiju Ueda, Sawako Uchida-Kobayashi, Akira Yamamoto, Shannon L. Walston, Hiroyuki Motoyama, Hideki Fujii, Toshio Watanabe, Yukio Miki, Norifumi Kawada. Performance of a Chest Radiograph–based Deep Learning Model for Detecting Hepatic Steatosis. Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging, 2025; 7 (3) DOI: 10.1148/ryct.240402[2]
Cite This Page:
Osaka Metropolitan University. "AI sees what doctors miss: Fatty liver disease hidden in chest x-rays." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 27 June 2025. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250627021845.htm>.
Osaka Metropolitan University. (2025, June 27). AI sees what doctors miss: Fatty liver disease hidden in chest x-rays. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 27, 2025 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250627021845.htm
Osaka Metropolitan University. "AI sees what doctors miss: Fatty liver disease hidden in chest x-rays." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250627021845.htm (accessed June 27, 2025).
July 25, 2024 A new study brings researchers closer to better understanding the pathology of the fatty liver disease MASH, which stands for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. MASH is a consequence ...
June 14, 2024 Fatty liver disease (steatotic liver disease, SLD for short) is increasingly causing failure of the liver as a vital organ. A team led by researchers has now discovered that a saturated fatty acid in ...
May 7, 2024 Fatty liver disease often leads to chronic liver inflammation and can even result in liver cancer. Scientists have now shown in mice that intermittent fasting on a 5:2 schedule can halt this ...
Sep. 6, 2023 The liver produces bile, which the intestine uses for digestion. For the transport of bile, the liver relies on a network of microscopic tubings, known as bile canaliculi, formed by liver cells ...
Apr. 14, 2022 It is estimated that about one in four adults worldwide has an abnormal build-up of fat in the liver, called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD can lead to permanent liver damage, and ...
July 19, 2021 An RNA modification may offer protection against non-alcoholic fatty liver, a condition that results from a build-up of fat in the liver and can lead to advanced liver disease, according to a new ...
Date:
Source:
Osaka Metropolitan University
Summary:
Researchers in Japan created an AI that can detect fatty liver disease from ordinary chest X-rays—an unexpected and low-cost method that could transform early diagnosis. The model proved highly accurate and may offer a fast, affordable way to flag this silent but serious condition.
FULL STORY
An AI developed in Japan can now detect fatty liver disease from regular chest X-rays, opening the door to faster, cheaper, and more accessible screening. Credit: Shutterstock
Fatty liver disease, caused by the accumulation of fat in the liver, is estimated to affect one in four people worldwide. If left untreated, it can lead to serious complications, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer, making it crucial to detect early and initiate treatment.
Currently, standard tests for diagnosing fatty liver disease include ultrasounds, CTs, and MRIs, which require costly specialized equipment and facilities. In contrast, chest X-rays are performed more frequently, are relatively inexpensive, and involve low radiation exposure. Although this test is primarily used to examine the condition of the lungs and heart, it also captures part of the liver, making it possible to detect signs of fatty liver disease. However, the relationship between chest X-rays and fatty liver disease has rarely been a subject of in-depth study.
Therefore, a research group led by Associate Professor Sawako Uchida-Kobayashi and Associate Professor Daiju Ueda at Osaka Metropolitan University's Graduate School of Medicine developed an AI model that can detect the presence of fatty liver disease from chest X-ray images.
In this retrospective study, a total of 6,599 chest X-ray images containing data from 4,414 patients were used to develop an AI model utilizing controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) scores. The AI model was verified to be highly accurate, with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) ranging from 0.82 to 0.83.
"The development of diagnostic methods using easily obtainable and inexpensive chest X-rays has the potential to improve fatty liver detection. We hope it can be put into practical use in the future," stated Professor Uchida-Kobayashi.
Story Source:
Materials[1] provided by Osaka Metropolitan University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Daiju Ueda, Sawako Uchida-Kobayashi, Akira Yamamoto, Shannon L. Walston, Hiroyuki Motoyama, Hideki Fujii, Toshio Watanabe, Yukio Miki, Norifumi Kawada. Performance of a Chest Radiograph&#8211;based Deep Learning Model for Detecting Hepatic Steatosis. Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging, 2025; 7 (3) DOI: 10.1148/ryct.240402[2]
Cite This Page:
Osaka Metropolitan University. "AI sees what doctors miss: Fatty liver disease hidden in chest x-rays." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 27 June 2025. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250627021845.htm>.
Osaka Metropolitan University. (2025, June 27). AI sees what doctors miss: Fatty liver disease hidden in chest x-rays. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 27, 2025 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250627021845.htm
Osaka Metropolitan University. "AI sees what doctors miss: Fatty liver disease hidden in chest x-rays." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250627021845.htm (accessed June 27, 2025).
July 25, 2024 A new study brings researchers closer to better understanding the pathology of the fatty liver disease MASH, which stands for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. MASH is a consequence ...
June 14, 2024 Fatty liver disease (steatotic liver disease, SLD for short) is increasingly causing failure of the liver as a vital organ. A team led by researchers has now discovered that a saturated fatty acid in ...
May 7, 2024 Fatty liver disease often leads to chronic liver inflammation and can even result in liver cancer. Scientists have now shown in mice that intermittent fasting on a 5:2 schedule can halt this ...
Sep. 6, 2023 The liver produces bile, which the intestine uses for digestion. For the transport of bile, the liver relies on a network of microscopic tubings, known as bile canaliculi, formed by liver cells ...
Apr. 14, 2022 It is estimated that about one in four adults worldwide has an abnormal build-up of fat in the liver, called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD can lead to permanent liver damage, and ...
July 19, 2021 An RNA modification may offer protection against non-alcoholic fatty liver, a condition that results from a build-up of fat in the liver and can lead to advanced liver disease, according to a new ...
