Liver Function Tests :

This section is provided to help explain the various liver function tests used to diagnose liver disease Understanding the common liver function tests and recording the results is very important in tracking this disease.

Liver function tests represent a broad range of normal functions performed by the liver. The diagnosis of liver disease depends upon a complete history, complete physical examination and evaluation of liver function tests and further invasive and noninvasive tests. Many patients become confused regarding the meaning of a liver function test. 

Click on one of the tests below for more information.

Prothrombin Tme (PT):

Different cells have different enzymes inside them, depending on the function of the cell. Liver cells happen to have lots of AST, ALT, and GGTP inside them. When cells die or are damaged, the enzymes leak out causing the blood level of these enzymes to rise; that is why the levels of these enzymes in the blood are considered good indicators of liver cell damage. ALT is more specific for liver disease than AST because AST is found in more types of cell (e.g. heart, intestine, muscle). The AST, for instance, will rise after a heart attack or bruised kidney. GGTP and AP are said to be more specific for evaluating biliary disease since they are made in bile duct cells. In liver disease caused by excess alcohol ingestion, the AST tends to exceed the ALT, while the reverse is true to for viral Hepatitis.