How do you know whether you have liver fibrosis

Only from clinical symptoms and signs or routine laboratory tests of liver function can not
know whether there is liver fibrosis. The current method of diagnosis of liver fibrosis can
be divided into three categories:
(1) pathological diagnosis: So far, pathological examination of liver biopsy diagnosis of
liver fibrosis is still the most reliable method. By pathological examination of liver
biopsy, not only to know whether they have been developed to liver fibrosis and liver
fibrosis in the end you can find out to what extent the development, which guide clinical
treatment and prognosis helpful. Currently in clinical practice, liver biopsy equipment and
technology has a perfect system, the patient's pain is also very small, in the hands of
experienced specialists in liver disease complications are rarely serious.
(2) Diagnostic Imaging: B Chao, CT and magnetic resonance imaging and other imaging studies
can be found some signs of liver fibrosis, such as the liver contour, size, and liver
changes in signal strength in real terms. Liver blood vessel diameter and blood flow
direction, speed changes, and changes in spleen size. However, at present these imaging
studies can not yet make a diagnosis of fibrosis, more difficult to accurately determine the
severity of liver fibrosis, it is only as a secondary diagnosis.
(3) serum markers: serum indicators are currently the most widely studied method for
diagnosis of liver fibrosis, including serum type Ⅲ procollagen amino terminal propeptide
(P-Ⅲ-P), Ⅲ procollagen (PC-Ⅲ), Ⅳ collagen, hyaluronic acid (HA), laminin (1N) and so is
widely used. The level of these serum markers and liver biopsy diagnosis is closely related
to the severity of liver fibrosis, which can be used for diagnosis of liver fibrosis. After
all, as a result of liver biopsy is more direct, for a patient, it is often difficult to
target based on a laboratory level to determine the degree of liver fibrosis. But the
advantage is taken of serum tests convenient, easy to review, if you can periodically check
(eg every six months or a year) you can increase or decrease in these indicators is to
understand the general trend of development and changes in liver fibrosis can also be
broadly understanding of the clinical effects of anti-fibrosis therapy.
What is a liver biopsy Liver biopsy Liver biopsy is, simply, is to use various methods from
the patient's liver to remove one o'clock liver tissue for pathological examination.
We know that the so-called liver disease is a problem within the liver. The internal
structure of the liver cells and liver appeared abnormal. However, long in the stomach
inside the liver, we do not see it. The internal structure of the liver cells and liver, is
even more not only because of its belly across the floor can not see, but also because cells
small size, no microscope to enlarge several times, impossible to see the hundreds of times.
Although we have a variety of tests, with advanced B-, CT, MRI, etc., but all these tests
are indirect, after all, there will be many errors. As we buy a watermelon, and then
experienced person picks across the board is not as open to look at, good or bad at a
glance, is accurate.
In fact, this cut of view - to see is the biopsy. Is there a liver disease, what is the
nature of disease and severity of how to provide the most definitive answers, only through
the liver tissue under the microscope and the case of liver cells, before reaching a
conclusion. So pathological examination is the final diagnosis magistrate.
Because biopsy unparalleled irreplaceable importance, so are active in clinical biopsy to
minimize diagnostic errors, and the progress of the disease to make the most accurate
evaluation. Surgeons remove the tumor, the first cut on the operating table, the tumor is
often sent to do frozen section pathology to see the tumor is benign or malignant. During
the exam, the doctor can not leave the operating room surgery. When the pathology report on
the fastest test results, the surgery the doctor and then decide the next - step how to do
surgery. If it is benign, can be sewn on after the removal. If it is malignant, it must be
checked immediately around the tumor has not been transferred. Do lymph node dissection, and
even larger area of excision.
As for the blood system diseases, it is inseparable from the bone marrow biopsy, bone marrow
does not make a check, most of the blood disease is not diagnosed. Liver, too, only liver
biopsy can give the most accurate diagnosis. So we should vigorously carry out liver biopsy,
so that the patient, the doctor's diagnosis and to treatment, prognosis is good for.

Serological test of liver fibrosis (liver fiber four)

Description:
Without creating a simple check of the advantages of this, but the accuracy is not high,
only as a reference and a preliminary screening and grading the degree of fibrosis, or rely
on pathological examination (liver biopsy) to determine the quantitative indicators of liver
fibrosis testing, general radioimmunoassay, the general determination of the four, it is
also referred to the liver fiber four.
Clinical significance of reference:
1, serum hyaluronic acid (HA) mainly by the liver endothelial cell uptake of decomposition,
a small amount of small molecules also increased from glomerular filtration. When the liver,
impaired renal function, serum HA increased, and increased with the disease and showed an
increasing trend. Detection of serum HA could reflect the development and outcome of hepatic
fibrosis.
2, laminin (LN), also known as laminin. A structural glycoprotein present in basement
membrane of the transparent layer. And liver fibrosis there is an important relationship is
the main basis for portal hypertension occurs. LN levels in serum are often associated with
type Ⅳ collagen, hyaluronic acid and other parallel, portal hypertension, especially in the
diagnosis of hepatic fibrosis has important value.

Alcoholic liver fibrosis clinical manifestations

Alcoholic liver fibrosis and the general non-specific symptoms, like alcohol. China-Japan
Friendship Hospital, 45 patients with alcoholic liver fibrosis according to the number of
symptoms and signs appear in the order as follows: 82.25 weakness, abdominal distension
66.7%, liver pain, anorexia 42.2%, 47%, 31% of limbs, numbness, memory loss and 22%,
diarrhea and sexual dysfunction was 11% each. Hepatomegaly 60%, 33% of liver palms, spider
angioma 29%, while the approval of which very little swelling.
Laboratory tests are nonspecific, but the pay is significantly increased GGT. The group
followed by GGT, triglyceride (TG) increased 60% and 58%, T BiL increased 49%, AST increased
total 42.2%, ALT increased 36%, D BiL share increased 33%, ALP 28.8% higher, while the
coagulation plasminogen activity decreased only 22%.
Iturriaga.H report (1993) GGT, and AST is a good determination of alcoholic liver injury
indicators, such as GGT> 110U, correctly forecast 80% of asymptomatic alcoholic liver
injury. Southwest Hospital Jiang Zhenghui report (1995) GGY in alcoholic liver disease in
the most characteristic expression in the alcoholic hepatitis, liver group proud to release
significantly increased GGT, alcohol quickly decreased to normal or near normal, and then
alcohol and increase in the ALT does not increase or increase is not significant.
Detection of liver fibrosis in more types of laboratory indicators, such as laminin (LN),
hyaluronic acid (HA), Ⅲ procollagen peptide (P Ⅲ P), Ⅳ collagen (Ⅳ-C) determination and
so on, each change only fibrosis of liver cells is mainly of fibrous connective tissue
extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis and degradation. The mechanism of liver fibrosis due to
the complexity of non-current single test indicators are very sensitive and specific, the
sensitivity of each weight index and characteristics of both a certain limit, and in
patients with chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver occurs when the large overlap
Therefore, only those based on serological markers of liver fibrosis specific patient / or
diagnosis of cirrhosis or to a specific patient's anti-fibrosis markers in order to improve
diagnostic accuracy.

"Liver fiber four check" the results usually takes much time

Four fiber liver test results are different than the other tests, such as liver function
only of blood, and liver fibrosis in patients with primary liver cells to determine whether
there damage, the liver is somewhat hard, and if there is cirrhosis of the liver phenomenon,
so check the liver are more particular about the time of their examination results generally
longer, but usually within 3-5 days.