steatosis

steatosis

A doctor points to a diagram of a healthy liver and a liver with steatosis.

Definition
  1. Noun (Medicine/Pathology):
    • Abnormal accumulation of fat: "steatosis" refers to the abnormal retention of lipids (fats) within cells, most commonly in the liver (hepatic steatosis), but it can occur in other organs like the heart, kidneys, or muscles. It is often associated with metabolic disorders, alcohol abuse, or obesity.
Usage Examples
  • (A medical condition of fatty liver.)
  • (Fat accumulation in the liver due to alcohol.)
  • (Fatty infiltration of pancreatic tissue.)
Advanced Usage
  • "Microvesicular steatosis": a subtype where small fat droplets accumulate in cells, often seen in acute conditions like Reye's syndrome or drug toxicity.
    • The biopsy showed microvesicular steatosis, indicating a rapid metabolic disturbance. (Small fat droplets within liver cells.)
  • "Macrovesicular steatosis": a subtype with large fat droplets displacing the cell nucleus, common in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
    • Macrovesicular steatosis is the hallmark of simple fatty liver. (Large fat droplets in hepatocytes.)
  • "Steatohepatitis": inflammation of the liver combined with steatosis, often a more serious condition.
    • Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, can progress to fibrosis. (Fatty liver with inflammation.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Steatotic (adj): relating to or characterized by steatosis.
    • The steatotic changes in the liver were reversible with diet and exercise. (Fatty changes.)
  • Steatogenesis (n): the process of fat accumulation in cells.
    • Steatogenesis is influenced by dietary fat intake and insulin resistance. (The formation of fat deposits.)
  • Steatolysis (n): the breakdown or dissolution of fat (rarely used).
    • Steatolysis occurs during fasting as the body mobilizes fat stores. (Fat breakdown.)
Synonyms
  • Fatty infiltration: the accumulation of fat in an organ.
    • Fatty infiltration of the liver is another term for steatosis. (Synonymous in clinical contexts.)
  • Lipidosis: a broader term for abnormal fat storage in cells (often used for genetic disorders).
    • Lipidosis can refer to conditions like steatosis or cholesterol storage diseases. (Fat storage abnormality.)
Related Idioms (None directly applicable; steatosis is a technical medical term with no common idiomatic usage.)
Phrasal Verbs (None; steatosis is a noun and does not form phrasal verbs.)