Hepatic　steatosis　is　a　key　manifestation　of　non-alcoholic　fatty　liver　disease　(NAFLD).　Early　detection　of　hepatic　steatosis　is　of　critical　importance.　Currently,　liver　biopsy　is　the　clinical　golden　standard　for　hepatic　steatosis　assessment.　However,　liver　biopsy　is　invasive　and　associated　with　sampling　errors.　Ultrasound　has　been　recommended　as　a　first-line　diagnostic　test　for　the　management　of　NAFLD.　However,　B-mode　ultrasound　is　qualitative　and　can　be　affected　by　factors　including　image　post-processing　parameters.　Quantitative　ultrasound　(QUS)　aims　to　extract　quantified　acoustic　parameters　from　the　ultrasound　backscattered　signals　for　ultrasound　tissue　characterization　and　can　be　a　complement　to　conventional　B-mode　ultrasound.　QUS　envelope　statistics　techniques,　both　statistical　model-based　and　non-model-based,　have　shown　potential　for　hepatic　steatosis　characterization.　However,　a　state-of-the-art　review　of　hepatic　steatosis　assessment　using　envelope　statistics　techniques　is　still　lacking.　In　this　paper,　envelope　statistics-based　QUS　parametric　imaging　techniques　for　characterizing　hepatic　steatosis　are　reviewed　and　discussed.　The　reviewed　ultrasound　envelope　statistics　parametric　imaging　techniques　include　acoustic　structure　quantification　imaging,　ultrasound　Nakagami　imaging,　homodyned-K　imaging,　kurtosis　imaging,　and　entropy　imaging.　Future　developments　are　suggested.