Jing-Wen Cai,1,* Wei-Long Wang,1,* Dong-Ling Lin,2 Shu-Feng Ren,1 Qian-Qian Jia,1 Xiao-Xuan He,1 Xue-Xia Yang,1 Wen Cai,1 Hui Hou3 

1Department of Nursing, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Gastroenterology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Wen Cai, Department of Nursing, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China, Email caiwen820602@163.com Hui Hou, Department of Gastroenterology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China, Email 11547850@qq.com

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a globally prevalent condition. Emerging technologies like biomarkers, imaging, multi-omics, and artificial intelligence (AI) are driving research into non-invasive diagnosis and monitoring.
Objective: To provide a comprehensive overview of the hotspots and future research trends in non-invasive diagnosis and monitoring of NAFLD.
Methods: A search of the Web of Science Core Collection database identified 1136 articles that met the study criteria between April 1, 2005, and December 31, 2024. By integrating various bibliometric methods and tools, we conducted a comprehensive analysis.
Results: Publication growth reflects robust research interest. The United States and China are the leading countries, and the University of California, San Diego tops the institutions. Liver International and PLOS ONE publish the most relevant articles, while Journal of Hepatology is the most influential. “Transient elastography”, “fibrosis” and “diagnosis” are prominent keywords. Research trends are shifting from basic to clinical applications, with a focus on non-invasive techniques, biomarkers and disease models.
Conclusion: Future investigations will focus on the clinical application of these techniques. Global collaboration is expected to enhance NAFLD diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and monitoring.

Keywords: non-invasive techniques, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, bibliometric analysis, visualization