Causes Of Autoimmune Hepatitis

Diagnosing The Condition

The first step to diagnosing autoimmune hepatitis is a physical examination. This is based on visible and palpable symptoms, such as jaundice, skin abnormalities, liver enlargement, and swelling. The doctor may palpitate the patient's abdomen to feel if the liver is abnormally enlarged or not. They may also ask questions about alcohol consumption, medications, and other autoimmune conditions the patient might have. If the doctor suspects autoimmune hepatitis is possible, they will then order some combination of blood tests, scans, and a biopsy. Typical blood tests for autoimmune hepatitis will check liver enzyme levels as well as the presence or absence of autoantibodies. Scans and biopsies can reveal scarring, cirrhosis, and other signs of disease.