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Tests and diagnosis

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Illustration of a liver biopsy 
Liver biopsy

Tests and procedures used to diagnose cirrhosis include:

  • Blood tests such as a complete blood count, bilirubin test, liver function tests and specific tests to determine the cause of cirrhosis
  • Imaging procedures such as computerized tomography (CT), ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Examination of a sample of liver tissue (liver biopsy), which is typically done using a needle to obtain the tissue sample
References
  1. Cirrhosis. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirrhosis/index.htm. Accessed Nov. 12, 2010.
  2. Ferri FF. Cirrhosis. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..C2009-0-38600-6--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&about=true&uniqId=230100505-53. Accessed Nov. 12, 2010.
  3. Understanding cirrhosis of the liver. American Gastroenterological Association. http://www.gastro.org/frame-templates/print_template.cfm. Accessed Nov. 12, 2010.
  4. Jones AL, et al. Hepatic toxicology. In: Shannon MW, et al. Haddad and Winchester's Clinical Management of Poisoning and Drug Overdose. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0693-4..50002-5&isbn=978-0-7216-0693-4&uniqId=226391226-4. Accessed Nov. 12, 2010.
  5. Your liver. Your life. American Liver Foundation. http://www.yourliver.org/Liver-Wellness-Presentation.pdf. Accessed Nov. 12, 2010.
  6. Sanchez W, et al. Liver cirrhosis. The American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/livercirrhosis.asp. Accessed Nov. 12, 2010.
  7. Rambaldi A, et al. S-adenosyl-L-methionine for alcoholic liver disease (review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2006:CD002235.
  8. Rambaldi A, et al. Milk thistle for alcoholic and/or hepatitis B or C virus liver diseases (review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2007:CD003620.
DS00373 Jan. 22, 2011

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