liver and gallbladder disorders
Fibrosis of the Liver
Diagnosis of Liver Fibrosis
A doctor's evaluation Sometimes blood tests, imaging tests, or both Sometimes liver biopsy Doctors suspect fibrosis when people have a disorder or take a medication that could cause fibrosis or when routine Liver Blood Tests indicate that the liver is damaged or is malfunctioning. Tests are then done to confirm the diagnosis, and if fibrosis is present, tests are done to determine its severity. These tests can include imaging tests, blood tests, liver biopsy, and sometimes specialized imaging tests to determine how stiff the liver is. Imaging Tests of the Liver and Gallbladder None Certain combinations of blood testscan distinguish between 2 levels of fibrosis: Absent or mild Moderate to severe The severity of fibrosis helps indicate the prognosis in people who have chronic viral hepatitis. Biopsy of the Liver None Specialized imaging testscan determine how stiff the liver is. The stiffer liver tissue is, the more severe fibrosis is likely to be. These tests (transient elastography, magnetic resonance elastography, and acoustic radiation force impulse imaging) use sound waves, applied to the abdomen, to determine how stiff the liver tissue is. Unlike liver biopsy, these tests are not invasive and thus have some advantage. Transient elastography and magnetic resonance elastography are being used in people with various liver disorders to diagnose and stage the fibrosis. Additionally, these tests are used to assess the amount of liver fat in people with fatty liver disease. Conventional ultrasonography can be unreliable because results depend on the skill of the person doing the procedure. In contrast, these specialized imaging tests report their measurement in numbers, allowing objective assessment. Combinations of blood tests and imaging tests, some of them highly specialized, may improve the doctor's ability to accurately assess the degree of fibrosis. 