February Highlights

qFibrosis® Uncovers Divergent Collagen Remodeling Across Liver Disease Subtypes

A recent study conducted by Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center and Kyung Hee University Hospital provides new insights into fibrosis progression across steatotic liver disease subtypes. Now published in Gastroenterology, the study utilized HistoIndex’s fibrosis quantification algorithm, qFibrosis®, to identify distinct patterns of collagen deposition that are not captured by conventional fibrosis staging systems.

The study demonstrated that, even at comparable fibrosis stages, patients with alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) and combined metabolic and alcohol-related liver disease (MetALD) exhibited higher levels and different spatial distributions of collagen compared with metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). These findings suggest potentially faster and more aggressive fibrotic progression in alcohol-associated disease subtypes. Importantly, this is the first time where differences in fibrotic remodeling across liver disease subtypes were histologically and objectively quantified, highlighting how quantitative tools such as qFibrosis® can extend beyond traditional staging to uncover biologically meaningful disease heterogeneity. The findings contribute to the growing body of literature advancing the field beyond traditional staging.

In February, we had the pleasure of welcoming Professor Jeong Hwan Park, one of the authors of this study, to our Singapore office and laboratory. We are thankful for his visit and look forward to continuing our collaboration and exploring new insights together.

Read the publication here.