Liver function test & Liver test
- In clinical practice, usually, all the tests related to the liver disease are called "liver function test".
- Actually, not all these tests are related to the "function" of the liver, therefore, it is more appropriate to call them "liver test" and not "liver function test".
- Thus, we use "liver test" for all the tests related to the diseases of the liver, and restrict the term "liver function tests" for tests of testing the real functional reserve of the liver (cells).
Liver test is the test for the diagnosis of the presence and etiology of the liver diseases, and the evaluation of the functional reserve of the liver. It includes the tests for:
A: Presence of
- Active liver cell damage
- Cholestasis
- Fibrosis
- Impairment of function of Reticulo-endothelial system
B: Etiology
C: Quantitative assessment of functional reserve
Many of these tests are not specific indicator of liver diseases, and will be influenced by diseases other than liver.
