Book excerpt: With very much success in 2009, this topic is being updated again in 2012. Dr. Flamm has invited a group of distinguished hepatologists to provide insight into the assessment of a variety of scenarios where clinical judgment based on experience and published literature is an invaluable addition to the care of individual patients. Articles included in the issue address the following topics: Evaluatio of Elevated Liver Enzymes and Abnormal Liver Panel; Evaluation of Liver Lesions; Chronic HCV; Evaluation of Hepatic Cholestasis; Chronic HBV; Ascites; Fatty Liver; Pruritus in the patient with chronic cholestatic liver disease; Is the patient a candidate for liver transplantation; Care of the cirrhotic patient; Abnormal liver panel in pregnancy; Surgical clearance for the patient with chronic liver disease; Granulomatous Liver Disease; Drug Induced Liver Disease; and Hepatic Encephalopathy.