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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staff
Because there are numerous liver diseases and a wide range of factors that can cause them, including viral infections, drugs and environmental toxins, diagnosing alcoholic hepatitis can be challenging. In an effort to reach a diagnosis, your doctor may include one or more of the following steps:
- Medical history and physical exam. Your doctor will ask you questions about your health history, including alcohol use, and conduct a physical exam.
- Blood tests. These check for high levels of certain liver-related enzymes, such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT).
- Ultrasound. Your doctor may use this noninvasive imaging test to view your liver and to rule out other liver problems.
- Liver biopsy. In this procedure, a small sample of tissue is removed from your liver and examined under a microscope. Liver biopsy usually involves inserting a long, thin needle through your skin and into your liver in order to draw out a sample of tissue.
References
- O'Shea RS, et al. Alcoholic liver disease. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2010;105:14.
- Carithers RL, et al. Alcoholic liver disease. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisinger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/linkTo?type=bookHome&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&uniq=200844987-3. Accessed July 14, 2010.
- Alcohol-induced liver disease. American Liver Foundation. http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/alcohol/. Accessed July 14, 2010.
- Hacker JF, et al. Alcoholic liver disease. American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/cgp/cgpvol2.asp#Alcoholic%20Liver. Accessed July 14, 2010.
- Cirrhosis. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirrhosis/index.htm. Accessed July 14, 2010.
- Milk thistle. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- SAMe. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Hepatitis C FAQs for the public. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/C/cFAQ.htm. Accessed July 20, 2010.
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