Medical Disclaimer
  • For Educational Purposes Only: This content is intended for educational reference and should not be used for clinical decision-making.
  • Not a Substitute for Professional Judgment: Always consult your local protocols, institutional guidelines, and supervising physicians.
  • Accuracy Not Guaranteed: While all content has been prepared to the best of my knowledge and ability, errors or omissions may exist.
  • Verify Before Acting: Users are responsible for verifying information through authoritative sources before any clinical application.
AI Assistance Notice
The clinical content and references are curated and reviewed by myself; however, AI was used to assist in organizing, paraphrasing, and formatting the information presented.

Panel Overview

The liver panel, also called hepatic function tests or liver function tests (LFTs), is a group of blood tests that assess liver health, detect liver disease, and differentiate between hepatocellular injury and cholestatic disorders. The liver performs over 500 vital functions including protein synthesis, detoxification, metabolism, and bile production.

Abnormal LFTs can indicate hepatitis, cirrhosis, bile duct obstruction, drug-induced liver injury, or systemic diseases affecting the liver. Pattern recognition (hepatocellular vs cholestatic) is critical for diagnosis.

Clinical Applications

  • Hepatocellular Injury: Viral hepatitis, ischemic hepatitis, drug-induced liver injury, autoimmune hepatitis
  • Cholestatic Disorders: Bile duct obstruction, primary biliary cholangitis, drug-induced cholestasis
  • Synthetic Function: Albumin and total protein assess liver's synthetic capability
  • Alcohol-Related Liver Disease: AST:ALT ratio >2:1 suggests alcoholic hepatitis
  • Medication Monitoring: Screening for hepatotoxicity in patients on potentially toxic medications

Panel Components

AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase)

Normal: 0-35 IU/L

Enzyme found in liver, heart, muscle, and kidneys. Elevated in hepatocellular injury. Less specific than ALT for liver disease.

View Details

ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase)

Normal: 0-35 IU/L

Enzyme primarily found in liver. More specific for hepatocellular injury than AST. Key marker for liver disease.

View Details

ALP (Alkaline Phosphatase)

Normal: 30-120 IU/L

Enzyme found in liver, bone, intestine, and placenta. Elevated in cholestatic disorders and bone disease.

View Details

Bilirubin (Total & Direct)

Total: 0.2-1.2 mg/dL

Breakdown product of hemoglobin. Elevated in liver disease, hemolysis, or bile duct obstruction. Causes jaundice when high.

View Details

Albumin

Normal: 3.5-5.5 g/dL

Major protein synthesized by liver. Low levels indicate chronic liver disease or malnutrition. Marker of synthetic function.

View Details

Total Protein

Normal: 6.0-8.3 g/dL

Sum of albumin and globulins. Assesses overall protein status and liver synthetic function.

View Details

GGT (Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase)

Normal: 0-50 IU/L

Enzyme elevated in cholestasis and alcohol use. Confirms hepatic source of elevated ALP.

View Details
Back to Laboratory Values E3 Home