Testing Testing …

Over the years (and as recently as yesterday) I have been asked by various people, exactly what tests are required before and after being diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Although the person performing the tests they should inform them which tests are being carried out on them and why, I thought for this issue I would do a brief overview of some of the more commonly preformed tests which people will have when considering having a test or if Hepatitis C positive.

Anti HCV Test: This is the first blood test which should be performed; it specifically looks for antibodies to virus. The result of this test will either be antibody negative or antibody positive. A negative result shows you have not come into contact with the virus. A positive result shows exposure to the virus, BUT NOT necessarily if the virus is still present.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): This test should be carried out if you are antibody positive, usually on the same blood sample. It looks at whether a person is still infected, and if so, the volume of the virus in the blood stream at any given time (viral load). 

Liver Function Test’s (LFT’): There are many LFT’s that give a picture as to how well the liver is working including:

• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) which indicates the degree of inflammation
• Aspartarte aminotransferase (AST) an enzyme found mainly in the bile ducts of the liver
• Bilirubin, formed from haemoglobin and the main pigment in bile (a yellow/green substance made by your liver). An increase of bilirubin causes jaundice and yellowing of the eyes and skin in liver disease.

Liver Ultra Sound: Is preformed to give a visual picture of the liver and is a routine procedure. It is usually performed in the X-ray department of the hospital or in an outpatient’s clinic, day care department or on a ward.

Liver Biopsy: Often, this is the only way to identify how much and if indeed the liver has any damage. It is considered routine by most specialists, but for a patient about to experience their first liver biopsy it can be an anxious and worrying time. A very small sample of liver tissue is taken which can then be analysed to measure the extent of liver damage.

For further information and explanations on the above tests and more, a useful website is The British Liver Trust at www.britishlivertrust.org.uk