Liver disease tests
There are over one hundred types of liver disease. They affect two million people in the UK. This figure may only be the tip of an iceberg as many cases of liver disease remain undiagnosed.
Your liver is very resourceful and able to work well enough even when it may be damaged. This means that you may often not ‘present’ with clear symptoms, or show obvious sign of liver disease or illness, when you see the doctor. However, if your GP suspects that you have a liver problem you will be asked to take a number of tests which will provide complex information about your condition.
To help you understand this information and manage your disease this leaflet will look at the different tests you may encounter and explains how they are used in the diagnosis and treatment of liver disease. It describes the various health professionals that you will come into contact with and what kind of information you can expect from them, with explanations of some of the medical terms used most frequently by hospital staff in relation to the tests themselves.
Following your diagnosis the GP may suggest a full screen of bloods to get an overview of your general physical health. The results of these blood tests may take a little time and often you will only be contacted sooner if your blood test shows up a ‘value’, or number measurement, which gives concern. If your condition requires further testing you will be referred to a local hospital, liver specialist centre or clinic. Here, more specific blood samples may be taken for tests involving liver function, virology (viruses) and immunology (antibodies). Sometimes genetic studies are also requested to check for hereditary diseases.
To get a fuller picture of your diagnosis you may need a scan of your tummy. This is usually an ultrasound scan in the first instance.
You will be booked in for testing under the name of a consultant. Although the consultant has the overall responsibility for your treatment, you may be seen by members of their medical team. These doctors practice at different levels of experience and responsibility. It is useful to write down the names of the consultant as well as the doctor you saw on the day of your visit.
Doctors may also refer to a radiologist to help them confirm your diagnosis. Other tests include ultrasound, CT (cat) scan, MRI scan and liver biopsy. When there are problems with the blood flow to your liver, an angiogram may be performed. An explanation of these tests, and what to expect while you are undergoing them, will be discussed in later sections of this leaflet.
Consent
Before you have any medical treatment you must give your ‘consent’ (permission). For certain liver test procedures you may be asked for your written consent. The consent process is to ensure that you understand the nature and purpose of providing a sample or undergoing a particular treatment. This cannot go ahead without your consent. Before giving consent you should understand:
- why you need the treatment or test
- what will happen during the treatment or test
- the advantages and disadvantages of the treatment or test
- any risks or side effects
- what the alternatives are
- what would happen if you did not have the treatment or test