Diagnostic Tests for Liver pain
Diagnostic Test list for Liver pain:
The list of diagnostic tests
mentioned in various sources as
used in the diagnosis of Liver pain
includes:
- Physical examination
- General appearance - looking for jaundice, signs of recent weight loss, physical distress.
- Inspect the abdomen for generalized distension which may indicate ascites (collection of fluid in the abdominal cavity). If ascites is associated with tender liver may indicate Budd-Chiari syndrome (hepatic vein thrombosis) or right heart failure
- Palpate the liver - to assess liver tenderness, size of the liver, to detect liver pulsatility and to feel the liver edge. A tender liver may be due to hepatitis, rapid liver enlargement (due to right heart failure or Budd-Chiari syndrome), hepatocellular cancer or hepatic abscess. A pulsatile liver that is also tender would suggest hepatocellular cancer.
- Palpate the rest of the abdomen including gallbladder, spleen, kidneys and bowel - e.g. if liver is tender and enlarged and spleen is also enlarged would suggest acute viral hepatitis.
- Examine lungs and heart system
- Blood tests
- Full blood count and ESR
- Electrolytes and renal function tests
- Liver function tests with Bilirubin level
- Viral serology for Hepatitis A, B and C
- CMV, EBV and leptospirosis serology
- Alpha 1 - fetoprotein will help diagnose primary liver cancer.
- ANA autoantibodies and smooth muscle antibody, if suspect lupus hepatitis
- Blood cultures- if there are chills and fever
- Amoebic fluorescent antibody titre (FAT) is positive in at least 90% of people with liver abscesses due to Entamoeba
- Urine tests
- Urine analysis and microscopy - Look for Bilirubin present in jaundice.
- Radiological investigations
- Ultrasound of Upper abdomen which may detect hepatocellular cancer, liver abscess, Budd-Chiari syndrome
- CT Abdomen may be required for further localization of ultrasound findings
- Radioisotope scan of liver will show a filling defect of hepatocellular cancer
- Hepatic venography may demonstrate the obstructed vein in Budd-Chiari syndrome
- Chest X-ray for evidence of right ventricular heart failure
- Echocardiogram, to assess valvular disease if suspect right heart failure
- Liver biopsy - may be required to establish diagnosis is some circumstances.
- ECG and cardiac enzymes - to rule out.
Home Diagnostic Testing
These home medical tests may be relevant to Liver pain causes:
- Food Allergies & Intolerances: Home Testing:
- Liver Health & Hepatitis: Home Testing
- Nerve Neuropathy: Related Home Testing:
- Digestive-Related Home Testing:
Conditions listing medical symptoms: Liver pain:
The following list of conditions
have 'Liver pain' or similar
listed as a symptom in our database.
This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete.
Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause
of any symptom.
Select from the following alphabetical view of conditions which
include a symptom of Liver pain or choose View All.
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