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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffAlthough your signs and symptoms can alert your doctor to the possibility of liver disease, you'll need certain tests to diagnose autoimmune hepatitis. These include:
- Blood tests. Antibody tests can distinguish autoimmune hepatitis from viral hepatitis and other disorders with similar symptoms. They also help pinpoint the type of autoimmune hepatitis you have.
- Liver biopsy. Doctors perform this test to confirm the diagnosis and to determine the degree and type of liver damage. During the procedure, a small amount of liver tissue is removed, using a thin needle that's passed into your liver through a small incision in your skin. The sample is then sent to a laboratory for analysis.
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Imaging tests. An abdominal ultrasound or abdominal computerized tomography (CT) scan can't diagnose autoimmune hepatitis, but doctors sometimes use these tests to help diagnose cirrhosis and to rule out liver cancer, a complication of cirrhosis.
Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is a relatively new imaging test that may help your doctor diagnose cirrhosis and may help avoid the need for liver biopsy, which is more invasive. MRE technology works by combining traditional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with low-frequency sounds waves. The MRI component uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create clear and detailed cross-sectional images of your body, which show size and structure of your tissues and organs. The low-frequency sound waves then help reveal physical properties of those tissues and organs — such as tissue stiffness. Stiffness of your liver may indicate cirrhosis.
