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Liver Tests

When a portion of your liver is injured or removed, the remaining tissue grows larger through a process known as hypertrophy. Your liver can regrow to its normal size even after up to 90% of it has been removed. Early detection of liver disease is key to improving your outcomes, and in some cases, reversing your diagnosis altogether.

If your doctor or healthcare provider suspects you may be at risk of liver disease, they may order a series of liver tests (LTs).

If you think you may be at risk, we encourage you to speak up and advocate for your liver health at your next medical appointment.

LTs are blood tests that are used to help determine the health of your liver and your bile ducts. Bile duct health is assessed as part of this process since your bile ducts carry the bile out of your liver. The results of LTs, in addition to your medical history and physical examination, aid your healthcare provider in the diagnosis and management of your liver disease.

The most common LTs include:

Alanine aminotransferase and Aspartate aminotransferase: The levels of these enzymes are tested and used as a general measure of the degree of liver inflammation or damage. Elevated levels of these enzymes can indicate liver damage and/or inflammation.
Alkaline phosphatase: The most frequently used test to detect any blockage in the biliary system. High levels of alkaline phosphatase can indicate issues in the biliary system.
Bilirubin test: While there is a small amount of bilirubin in the blood of a healthy person, a damaged liver cannot process it properly, which leads to high levels in the blood. Often elevated levels of bilirubin appear as jaundice.
Albumin test: As one of the main proteins produced by the liver, this test monitors decreased levels of albumin in the blood. Chronic liver disease causes a decrease in the amount of albumin in the blood.
Prothrombin time: Measures how quickly your blood clots. Since blood clotting factors are proteins made by the liver, when the liver is injured, these proteins aren’t produced normally. Prolonged clotting time can be an indication of liver damage.

While not as common, there are additional specialized liver tests that indicate the presence of specific forms of liver disease, including viral hepatitis C, hemochromatosis, Wilson disease, primary biliary cholangitis, and autoimmune hepatitis.

In addition to blood tests, the following may be preformed to detect liver disease:

Liver Biopsy: A liver biopsy is a diagnostic procedure that takes a small amount of liver tissue for examination. It determines the cause of liver disease, the level of liver damage (scarring), and confirms a liver disease diagnosis. Liver biopsy can sometimes be performed post-transplant to determine if rejection is present (if suspected).
FibroScan^®: A FibroScan is a type of non-invasive liver elastography. It’s a special ultrasound technology that measures the liver scarring and stiffness (hardness) and fatty changes in your liver.