liver and gallbladder disorders
Hepatitis C, Chronic
Diagnosis of Chronic Hepatitis C
Blood tests Doctors may suspect chronic hepatitis C when People have typical symptoms. Blood tests (done for other reasons) detect abnormally high liver enzymes. People have been previously diagnosed with acute hepatitis C. Testing for chronic hepatitis usually begins with blood tests to determine how well the liver is functioning and whether it is damaged ( Liver Blood Tests ). Liver tests involve measuring the levels of liver enzymes and other substances produced by the liver. These tests may help establish or exclude the diagnosis of hepatitis C and determine the severity of liver damage. If tests suggest hepatitis, doctors do other blood tests to check for hepatitis B and C virus. Both can cause chronic hepatitis. These blood tests can identify parts of specific viruses (antigens), specific antibodies produced by the body to fight the virus, and sometimes genetic material (RNA or DNA) of the virus. If doctors strongly suspect only chronic hepatitis C, they may do blood tests for only that virus. If chronic hepatitis C is confirmed, doctors also check for HIV infection and hepatitis B because these infections are often spread in the same ways—through contact with bodily fluids, such as blood or semen. After hepatitis C is diagnosed, tests may be done to determine how badly the liver is damaged and to check for other causes of liver disease. Tests may include A Biopsy of the Liver (rare) Specialized imaging tests, such as Diagnosis None Blood tests to measure substances (called markers) that indicate whether and how much fibrosis is present Ultrasound elastography and magnetic resonance elastography use sound waves, applied to the abdomen, to determine how stiff the liver tissue is. If people have chronic hepatitis C and a large amount of scarring in the liver ( Fibrosis of the Liver ) or Ultrasonography Sometimes blood tests to measure the level of alpha-fetoprotein The level of alpha-fetoprotein—a protein normally produced by immature liver cells in fetuses—usually increases when liver cancer is present. 