A series of particular liver tests can determine whether or not the liver is functioning correctly. These tests can also distinguish between acute and chronic liver disorders and hepatitis and cholestasis. Gateway healthcare offers liver/gallbladder urinalysis tests and liver iodine measurements to examine the health of your liver.
A Urinalysis test examines your urine’s physical, chemical, and microscopic qualities. Urinalysis can help identify numerous health conditions earlier, allowing immediate action and the healthcare team to focus on better treatment plans.
Liver/gallbladder urinalysis detects bilirubin levels present in urine to check for liver, gallbladder disease, or red blood cells breakdown. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment found in the bile and results from the breakdown of red blood cells.
This test can also indicate the presence of Urobilinogen in urine. It appears when you have lower than average bilirubin levels. Healthy individuals have a tiny amount of Urobilinogen in their urine. However, detectable amounts can indicate liver conditions like hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver damage, or hemolytic anemia.
Gateway healthcare measures liver iodine using state-of-art technology to estimate dietary iodine intake. When there are sufficient amounts of iodine in the body to sustain bodily systems, the body compensates excess by passing it in the urine. Therefore, UI measurements help rule out iodine deficiency by determining whether the body has adequate levels.
Iodine’s direct action is associated with thyroid function. Due to the thyroid’s multiple activities, the implications of iodine deficiency are essential. Your thyroid gland secretes a hormone called thyroxine, or T4, as it consists of four iodine atoms. T4 is converted to T3 by removing one iodine atom to exert its effects. It occurs mainly in the liver and other tissues where T3 acts, such as the brain. Other actions are the formation and integrity of normal breast tissue, fetal brain development and function, and antimicrobial effects.