Question: How do doctors diagnose cirrhosis?
Answer: If your doctor suspects that you have cirrhosis, they may make a diagnosis based on your medical history, a physical exam, and the results of blood tests and imaging tests.

Family and medical history

Your doctor will ask if you have a history of alcohol use or health conditions
that increase the risk of developing cirrhosis.

Your doctor may ask about your symptoms and whether you have a history of health conditions that increase the risk of developing cirrhosis.

When taking your medical history, your doctor may ask about

any recent changes in weight or appetite
alcohol use
prescription and over-the-counter medicines or herbal supplements you take

Your doctor may also ask if you have a family history of health conditions, including liver conditions.

Physical exam

In a physical exam, your doctor will

look for jaundice, or a yellowish tint to the whites of your eyes and skin
check your skin for rashes and legs for swelling
use a stethoscope to listen to your heart, lungs, andabdomen—or belly
tap or press on different areas of your abdomen to check for swelling or tenderness
check to see if yourliverhas become larger
check your outstretched hands fortremor
Question: What tests do doctors use to diagnose cirrhosis?
Answer: Blood tests

Your doctor can use blood tests to tell how serious cirrhosis is.

Your doctor may recommend the following blood tests

liver teststhat can show if liverenzymelevels are higher or lower than normal, which may be a sign of liver damage. Your doctor may suspect cirrhosis if you havehigher levels of the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase.higher levels ofbilirubin.lower levels of blood proteins calledalbuminor higher levels of blood proteins called immunoglobulins.
higher levels of the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase.
higher levels ofbilirubin.
lower levels of blood proteins calledalbuminor higher levels of blood proteins called immunoglobulins.
complete blood count, which can show signs of infection andanemiathat may be caused byinternal bleeding.
tests for viral infections to see if you havehepatitis Borhepatitis C.
tests for autoimmune liver conditions, which include the anti-nuclear antibody (ANA), anti-smooth muscle antibody (SMA), and anti-mitochondrial antibody (AMA) tests.

Based on the blood test results, your doctor may be able to diagnose certain causes of cirrhosis.

Your doctor can use blood tests to tell how serious cirrhosis is.

Imaging tests

Imaging tests can show the size, shape, and texture of the liver and show how much fat is in the liver. Some tests can also measure the stiffness of the liver. Cirrhosis increases liver stiffness. Your doctor may use one or more of the following imaging tests

ultrasounduses a hand-held device, called a transducer, that bounces safe, painless sound waves off organs to create an image of their structure.
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)uses radio waves and magnets to produce detailed images of organs and soft tissues without usingx-rays.
x-ray tests, such ascomputed tomography (CT) scans, use a combination of x-rays and computer technology to create images of the liver.
elastography, a special test that measures the stiffness of the liver. An increase in liver stiffness may be a sign of fibrosis, or scarring. Your doctor can use stiffness measures to see if you may have cirrhosis and whether liver scarring is getting better or worse.

Liver biopsy

Your doctor may perform a liver biopsy to see how much scarring is in your liver. A liver biopsy can diagnose cirrhosis when the results of other tests are uncertain. The biopsy may also help your doctor identify the cause of cirrhosis and determine whether you need treatment.

During a liver biopsy, a doctor will use a needle to take small pieces of tissue from the liver. A pathologist will examine the tissue under a microscope.