Test Results for Abnormal Liver Function

In addition to being the largest organ of the body, the liver is a crucial component to the body's overall health, responsible for performing over 400 functions on a daily basis. Medical tests can determine whether the liver is functioning abnormally.

Test

• A liver function test is a blood test used to analyze liver functionality. The analysis determines blood levels of five or six specific liver enzymes and determines blood clotting (a sign that the liver is not functioning properly).

ALT Elevation

• Alanine aminotransferase, or ALT, is an enzyme produced in liver cells (called "heptoacytes"). A high level of ALT implies liver inflammation, which is indicative of abnormal liver function and/or liver disease.

Bilirubin Presence

• The presence of bilirubin in the blood (the byproduct of destroyed red blood cells, normally removed from the blood by the liver) indicates that the liver is not functioning as it should, which may be either because of a liver condition or because of another condition of the digestive system that is affecting the liver.

GGT Elevation

• The presence of gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, or GGT, in a liver function test is strongly associated with alcohol and/or drug abuse, which lead to liver inflammation. High levels of GGT also may suggest a bile duct disease, which is often related to abnormal liver function.

High AP Levels

• Alkaline phosphatase, or AP, is measured in blood tests. High levels of this enzyme are related to liver disease, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Yet because a raised AP could have many causes that are non-liver related, a raised AP level with no other signs of elevated enzymes requires further investigation.

Low Albumin

• Albumin is the main protein of the bloodstream, made by the liver. If the blood test shows low concentrations of this protein, it implies that the liver is not functioning properly.