AboutNeha Dahiya MD Expertise I can help patients understand their lab report results, help them with queries regarding what pretest preparation is required. How often a follow up test needs to be done. What does a particular tissue biopsy report mean in everyday English. I can explain the biopsy or cytology procedure. I can deal with Histopathology / cytology / clinical pathology and clinical chemistry queries. Helping in this manner will be my contribution to the community.
Experience I am a pathologist and director of clinical laboratory services. I have been a practicing pathologist for last 9 years in a 350 bed multi specialty hospital laboratory.
Organizations Indian association of pathologists and microbiologists.
MIAC - Member International Academy of Cytology
International association of Pathologists - indian division
Indian association of Cytology
I like to drink beer. Typically 4-5 per night on the weekends, basically every weekend for the last 20 years! I also take 40mg fluoxetine in the AM and 20mg simvastatin in the PM.
I have liver enzyme tests every 6 months due to my statin and they have been fine for as long as I've been on the statin (>5yrs). Also, 2 yrs ago, I had an abdominal CT scan (for some abdominal pain which has now been gone for almost 2yrs), and all organs, including the liver, were 'unremarkable'. I have no other symptoms. I am mildly overweight.
My question is whether I can feel confident that my liver has not suffered any damage of concern as a result of my blood tests but even more so as a result of the CT scan. Is a CT scan good at detecting fatty liver, cirrhosis, etc...? I've considered my liver to be in great shape every since the 'unremarkable' result, but now I wonder if perhaps I am being unrealistic. I read someone on another message board who said that he had cirrhosis but CT scans never detected it (his liver always was 'unremarkable') but I wonder if he is just a rare exception.
If you could give me your thoughts as a pathologist I'd appreciate it.
Thanks!
Kevin
Answer Hello Kevin:
A radiologist will be better able to answer your question as to what is the best modality to image the liver.
Blood tests for liver enzymes provide information about the function of liver. If they are within normal range the liver is functioning normally
