Bilirubin Basics
This yellow-orange pigment is formed from the breakdown of heme and gives bile its color.
What is bilirubin?
This liver enzyme rises with hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatotoxic drugs and is abbreviated ALT.
What is alanine aminotransferase?
A drop in this liver-synthesized protein may indicate liver disease or malnutrition.
What is albumin?
This older test visualizes the gallbladder after ingestion of iodinated dye.
What is an oral cholecystogram (OCG)?
In this procedure, a needle removes liver tissue for biopsy, often guided by ultrasound or CT.
What is a percutaneous liver biopsy?
This is the most important pre-test nursing intervention for any study involving iodinated dye.
What is assess for iodine allergy?
This type of bilirubin is water-insoluble and must be converted by the liver.
What is indirect (or unconjugated) bilirubin?
Elevated levels of this enzyme may indicate myocardial infarction, pancreatitis, or liver disease.
What is lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH)?
This lab value compares albumin and globulin levels.
What is the A/G ratio?
This type of cholangiography is done during gallbladder surgery to locate stones or tumors.
What is operative cholangiography?
This lab test measures ammonia, which rises in liver failure and hepatic encephalopathy.
What is the serum ammonia test?
This positioning post-liver biopsy helps prevent hemorrhage.
What is lying on the right side with a towel at the puncture site?
Jaundice becomes visibly noticeable when total serum bilirubin exceeds this level.
What is 2.5 mg/dL?
The normal adult range for this enzyme, abbreviated AST, is 0 to 35 units/L.
What is aspartate aminotransferase?
The normal range for total serum protein is between these two values.
What is 6.4 to 8.3 g/dL?
This post-op test uses dye through a surgical drain to visualize the bile ducts.
What is a T-tube cholangiography?
This scan uses radioactive isotopes and a Geiger counter to detect structural liver changes.
What is a radioisotope liver scan?
NPO status is required starting from this time before many liver or biliary tests.
What is midnight?
This bilirubin value is considered normal when it falls between 0.3 and 1.2 mg/dL.
What is total bilirubin?
This enzyme is elevated in alcohol use and heart failure, and its full name starts with "gamma."
What is gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)?
This imaging technique uses technetium-99 to diagnose acute cholecystitis.
What is a HIDA scan (hepatobiliary scan)?
Why did the liver fail its lab test?
Because it had elevated ALT-titude and zero clotting skills!