A health care provider usually diagnoses cirrhosis based on the presence of conditions that increase its likelihood, such as heavy alcohol use or obesity, and symptoms. A health care provider may test for cirrhosis based on the presence of these conditions alone because many people do not have symptoms in the early stages of the disease. A health care provider may confirm the diagnosis with
                
- a medical and family history  - a physical exam  - a blood test  - imaging tests  - a liver biopsy
                
Medical and family history. Taking a medical and family history is one of the first things a health care provider may do to help diagnose cirrhosis. He or she will ask the patient to provide a medical and family history.
                
Physical exam. A physical exam may help diagnose cirrhosis. During a physical exam, a health care provider usually
                
- examines a patients body  - uses a stethoscope to listen to sounds in the abdomen  - taps on specific areas of the patients body
                
The health care provider will perform a physical exam to look for signs of the disease. For example, the liver may feel hard or ascites may cause the abdomen to enlarge.
                
Blood test. A blood test involves drawing blood at a health care providers office or a commercial facility and sending the sample to a lab for analysis. Blood tests can show abnormal liver enzyme levels or abnormal numbers of blood cells or platelets.
                
Blood tests can help find the cause in people with diagnosed cirrhosis. For example, a health care provider may use blood tests to diagnose hepatitis B and C.
                
Health care providers use three blood tests to measure the severity of cirrhosis:
                
- bilirubin, which tests the amount of bile pigment in the blood  - creatinine, which tests kidney function  - international normalized ratio, which tests the bloods ability to clot
                
The results of these blood tests are used to calculate the Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score. Experts developed the MELD score to predict the 90-day survival rate of people with end-stage liver disease. MELD scores usually range between 6 and 40, with a score of 6 indicating the best likelihood of 90-day survival. The MELD score is used to determine whether a person is eligible for liver transplantation.
                
Imaging tests. Imaging tests can show signs of advanced cirrhosis, such as irregularities in the liver surface, gastric varices, and splenomegaly. These tests can also detect signs of complications, such as ascites and liver cancer.
                
- Ultrasound uses a device, called a transducer, that bounces safe, painless sound waves off organs to create an image of their structure. A specially trained technician performs the procedure in a health care providers office, an outpatient center, or a hospital, and a radiologista doctor who specializes in medical imaginginterprets the images. A patient does not need anesthesia.  - Computerized tomography (CT) scans use a combination of x rays and computer technology to create images. For a CT scan, a technician may give the patient a solution to drink and an injection of a special dye, called contrast medium. CT scans require the patient to lie on a table that slides into a tunnelshaped device where the technician takes the x rays. An x-ray technician performs the procedure in an outpatient center or a hospital, and a radiologist interprets the images. A patient does not need anesthesia.  - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines use radio waves and magnets to produce detailed pictures of the bodys internal organs and soft tissues without using x rays. A specially trained technician performs the procedure in an outpatient center or a hospital, and a radiologist interprets the images. A patient does not need anesthesia, though a health care provider may use light sedation for patients with a fear of confined spaces. An MRI may include the injection of contrast medium. With most MRI machines, the patient lies on a table that slides into a tunnel-shaped device that may be open ended or closed at one end; some machines allow the patient to lie in a more open space.  - Elastography, also called liver stiffness measurement, uses either ultrasound or MRI to measure the stiffness of the liver. Scar tissue increases the stiffness of the liver. Elastography can show how much scarring is present with some reliability. Elastography is a relatively new test. However, this test promises to be helpful in showing how severe liver scarring is and whether the scarring is getting worse over time.
                
Liver biopsy. A liver biopsy is a procedure that involves taking a piece of liver tissue for examination with a microscope for signs of damage or disease. The health care provider may ask the patient to stop taking certain medications temporarily before the liver biopsy. The health care provider may ask the patient to fast for 8 hours before the procedure.
                
During the procedure, the patient lies on a table, right hand resting above the head. The health care provider applies a local anesthetic to the area where he or she will insert the biopsy needle. If needed, a health care provider will also give sedatives and pain medication. The health care provider uses a needle to take a small piece of liver tissue. He or she may use ultrasound, CT scans, or other imaging techniques to guide the needle. After the biopsy, the patient must lie on the right side for up to 2 hours and is monitored an additional 2 to 4 hours before being sent home.
                
A health care provider performs a liver biopsy at a hospital or an outpatient center. The health care provider sends the liver sample to a pathology lab, where the pathologista doctor who specializes in diagnosing diseaseslooks at the tissue with a microscope and sends a report to the patients health care provider.
                
A liver biopsy can confirm the diagnosis of cirrhosis; however, a person does not always need this test. A health care provider will perform a biopsy if the result might help determine the cause or affect treatment. Sometimes a health care provider finds a cause of liver damage other than cirrhosis during biopsy.