Checking the health of the liver can be assessed by imaging tests or by taking blood tests for certain indicators.
Imaging is an important means of screening or diagnosing liver diseases, which can observe the liver size, shape, texture, the presence or absence of occupancy, hepatic blood vessels and bile ducts, etc. It includes ultrasound, CT and MRI.
Among them, ultrasound is the preferred way to screen various organic liver diseases, with the advantages of convenience and low price; CT is one of the most important means to check various organic liver diseases, especially enhanced CT is of great value for diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhosis, hepatic cysts, hepatic abscesses and other space-occupying lesions; NMR has a similar role to CT, but the advantage of being free of radiation.
Liver function can also be assessed by taking blood tests for certain indicators, such as aminotransferases, bilirubin, serum albumin, and coagulation factors. In addition alpha-fetoprotein is a relatively specific marker for the diagnosis of liver cancer, with a positive rate of around 70%. For patients with viral hepatitis, pathogenetic tests can also be performed, including relevant antigens, antibodies, viral DNA or RNA.
To assess liver function, it is recommended to visit a hospital as early as possible and consult a medical professional to choose the appropriate test for your specific case.