Hepatology

Hepatology is a specialized branch of medicine focused on the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases, disorders, and health issues associated with the liver. The term is an amalgamation of two Greek words: hepatikos, which means “liver,” and logia, which means “study.” The field of hepatology also includes adjacent and related bodily systems, including the gallbladder, pancreas, and biliary tree.

Doctors who specialize in the field of hepatology are known as hepatologists. In addition to diagnosing and treating patients with liver-related diseases and conditions, hepatologists also perform research and investigate diagnostic and disease management methods. Hepatology was formerly considered a subspecialty of gastroenterology, the branch of medicine focused on diseases and disorders of the digestive system. By the early twenty-first century, hepatology had emerged as a distinct area of specialization.

Background

The British physician Sheila Sherlock (1918–2001) is often referred to as “the mother of hepatology” for her groundbreaking work in the field, which began in the middle of the twentieth century. In 1955, Sherlock published Diseases of the Liver and Biliary System, which became a standard textbook in medical schools around the world and is recognized as hepatology’s first dedicated work. Four years later, Sherlock became the first woman ever to hold a professorship at London’s Royal Free Hospital. At the hospital, she established a clinical research center for the study of liver-related diseases, where many future leaders of the emerging field of hepatology undertook their training.

Although Sherlock successfully established liver-related diseases and conditions as a specialized branch of medicine, hepatology initially was classified as part of gastroenterology. The field of gastroenterology covers diseases and disorders of the esophagus, stomach, intestines, colon, rectum, bile ducts, gallbladder, liver, and pancreas. However, hepatology has ceased to be considered a subtopic within the field of gastroenterology and has become a recognized medical specialty.

Hepatology primarily is concerned with the liver. As one of the body’s largest organs, the liver performs a wide range of functions related to the metabolism and conversion of dietary nutrients into compounds that can be readily absorbed by the body. It also plays a major role in the elimination of toxins. Hepatology also covers the gallbladder, pancreas, and biliary tree. The gallbladder stores, and helps deliver bile, a digestive fluid used to help the body break down fatty foods. The pancreas has two main functions. It produces enzymes used in digestion, and it helps regulate the body’s blood sugar levels. The biliary tree is comprised of a system of vessels that transport digestive secretions produced by the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas into the duodenum, an area of the small intestine. In the small intestine, food that was initially broken down by the stomach is further digested and converted into usable forms of energy.

Overview

Given its involvement in the digestive process and the elimination of toxins from the body, the liver is prone to a wide range of diseases and disorders that can impair its proper function. One of the most common such conditions is hepatitis, a group of viral diseases that affect the liver. According to research, hepatitis B and hepatitis C may be responsible for up to 80 percent of all cases of liver cancer. Liver cancer also has strong associations with excessive alcohol consumption, the consequences of which include conditions such as fatty liver disease and cirrhosis of the liver. In 2023, several multinational liver societies announced nomenclature that uses metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) for what had often been called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). These diseases are primary areas of focus for hepatologists. While hepatologists are involved in the diagnosis, treatment, management, and study of liver cancer, patients with liver cancer are usually treated by cancer specialists known as oncologists.

Other common ailments and conditions that are studied, diagnosed, and treated by hepatologists include jaundice, enzyme deficiencies, and liver diseases related to genetics and/or metabolism. Hepatologists are also involved in cases of drug abuse and drug overdose, as many drugs are processed and eliminated from the bloodstream via the liver.

Hepatologists play major roles in the medical teams that conduct and oversee liver transplants. While they are relatively rare, liver transplants can be lifesaving procedures for individuals whose livers are no longer capable of functioning properly. This condition is known as liver failure, which can affect patients of all ages. According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, there were 11,458 liver transplants performed in the United States in 2024. In 2025, 12,344 liver transplants were performed in the United States.

Other medical procedures commonly performed by hepatologists include endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), percutaneous transhepatic pancreato-cholangiography, and the installation of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS). Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is a diagnostic test used to identify many diseases of the pancreas and biliary tree. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography is a type of X-ray that doctors use to find blockages in the liver and/or bile ducts. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts are artificial pathways between the portal vein and the hepatic vein found in the liver. They are often created to reduce pressure in the blood vessels serving the liver in patients with advanced cases of liver cirrhosis.

Two of the hepatology field’s major medical journals are Hepatology and the Journal of Hepatology. Hepatology is the official medical publication endorsed by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), while the Journal of Hepatology is the official periodical of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL). Both publications feature essays, reviews, and case studies related to clinical research and advancements in the field of hepatology.

Bibliography

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Greenberger, Norton, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Endoscopy. 3rd ed., McGraw-Hill Professional, 2015.

Joshi, Deepak, et al. Hepatology at a Glance. John Wiley & Sons, 2015.

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“Liver Transplants Reach Record Highs in the U.S. What’s Driving Growth?” Keck Medicine of USC, 16 Mar. 2026, medresources.keckmedicine.org/news/liver-transplants-reach-record-highs-in-the-u-s-what-s-driving-growth. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

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“Organ Transplants Exceeded 48,000 in 2024; A 3.3 Percent Increase from the Transplants Performed in 2023.” Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, 15 Jan. 2025, www.hrsa.gov/optn/news-events/news/organ-transplants-exceeded-48000-2024-33-percent-increase-transplants-performed-2023. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

Robertson, Sally. “What is Hepatology?” News-Medical, 17 June. 2023, www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Hepatology.aspx. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

Sibarani, Citra Indriani, et al. “Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS): Bridging the Gap from Bench to Bedside.” Egyptian Liver Journal, vol. 15, no. 24, 16 June 2025, doi:10.1186/s43066-025-00433-z. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.