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Fatty Liver: How Do You Get Diagnosed With A Fatty Liver?

A fatty liver is the buildup of excess fat in the liver cells. Unfortunately, there is no sure way to find out if you have a fatty liver, unless you are undergoing tests for it or another condition.

A fatty liver can be hard to diagnose, as there are limited visible symptoms. One of the first and only symptoms you may experience is abdominal pain.

A physical examination may reveal an enlarged liver without any other symptoms.

During a physical examination, a doctor might notice that the liver is enlarged and tender when the abdomen is palpated, which means examined with the tips of the fingers while the patient lies flat.

The next step would be blood tests may be used to determine if the liver is functioning properly. Several studies show that fatty liver is one of the most common causes of isolated minor elevation of liver enzymes found in routine blood screening.

The elevated liver enzyme results mean that there is damage to the liver cells. Liver enzymes are normally found mostly within liver cells. Only when the cells are damaged or inflamed, do the enzymes leak into the blood stream. This leak can occur due to:

•    a fatty liver
•    excessive alcohol consumption
•    some medications such as long term antibiotics or pain killers
•    viral infections of the liver such as hepatitis C & B
•    auto-immune hepatitis
•    primary cirrhosis
•    exposure to toxic chemicals such as insecticides, pesticides or organic solvents
•    incorrect diet

The liver enzyme testing or liver function tests include measurements of albumin, various liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT and ALP), bilirubin, prothrombin time, cholesterol and total protein. The determination can help diagnose the fatty liver or other liver difficulties.

Another testing would be having images of the liver obtained by an ultrasound test, CT (computed tomography) scan, or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). These may suggest the presence of a fatty liver.

Finally, to be certain whether a patient has a fatty liver, you might require a liver biopsy, in which a small sample of liver tissue is obtained through the skin and analyzed under the microscope. The tissue sample is examined in a laboratory to look for signs of inflammation and scarring.

In most instances once you are diagnosed, the treatment of a fatty liver requires control of the underlying conditions. This may include reduction of high blood triglycerides, good control of diabetes, or not drinking alcohol. In some cases, surgical reversal of intestinal bypass for obesity is required.

Since being overweight is by far the most critical factor, weight loss is most likely the key to starting to improve your liver health.