When to Worry about ALT Levels? Alanine Transaminase (ALT) Test

What other tests could help doctors diagnose liver conditions?

After obtaining abnormal ALT levels, doctors may need additional tests to diagnose your condition:

• Other liver panel exams such as bilirubin levels and prothrombin time
• Serologic tests for different hepatitis viruses
• Drug abuse testing and overdose testing if they suspect a hepatotoxic drug
• Blood levels of ethanol to evaluate acute intoxication with alcohol
• Iron tests to rule out hereditary hemochromatosis
• Blood copper levels to rule out Wilson disease
• An ultrasound scan to evaluate the structure of the liver
• A liver biopsy in case there’s a suspicious liver tumor or mass

You don’t need every test, and no doctor will order all of them at once because there’s a protocol of successive tests according to the most common causes of liver injury and the patient’s signs and symptoms.