A hepatologist is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases. This specialist addresses conditions such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, fatty liver disease, liver infections, metabolic disorders of the liver, and liver cancer. Hepatologists use various diagnostic techniques, including blood tests, ultrasounds, computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and liver biopsies to evaluate liver health and determine the best course of treatment. It is advisable to see a hepatologist if you have symptoms such as jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), abdominal pain, swelling in the abdomen, extreme fatigue, unexplained loss of appetite or weight, or if you have a diagnosed liver disease that requires specialized handling.
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a term used to describe liver damage that results from chronic excess consumption of ethanol by adults. There are several clinical syndromes that can result, including fatty liver , alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis .
Cirrhosis is a chronic liver disease that occurs when healthy liver cells are replaced by scar tissue.
Fatty liver disease is the build-up of fat in the liver and can be caused by alcoholism or obesity.
Hemochromatosis is an inherited condition of the body, which causes it to absorb too much iron. Over time, this can damage organs like the liver and heart.
Hepatic encephalopathy is a type of brain damage that affects people with cirrhosis and other types of liver disease. It occurs as a result of toxins building up in the blood after they're no longer removed by the damaged liver, causing confusion, fatigue, and poor muscle coordination.
Hepatitis is an inflammatory disease of the liver, caused by infection of viruses or bacteria, etc.
Hereditary diseases are genetic disorders which passes down from our parents, through our DNA.
Jaundice is excess blood bilirubin in a newborn.
Liver cancer starts in the liver. The liver is located on the right side of your abdomen, below your diaphragm and above your stomach. Liver cancer forms in the tissues of the liver. It can spread quickly to other parts of the body.
Liver cancer can occur after liver diseases such as hepatitis and NASH damage liver cells. Symptoms may include fatigue, jaundice, and abdominal pain.
Non alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a serious disease, where the liver becomes inflamed and starts to accumulate fat. It is on the rise especially in people with obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol.
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) is a long-term disease that causes inflammation and eventual scarring of the liver and bile ducts. The term 'primary' indicates that there is no other medical condition or infection which can explain the symptoms. PSC is a chronic condition, meaning that it lasts for many years, but the time it takes for symptoms to develop varies. The causes of PSC are not known, but there is evidence that in some cases it may be due to a defect in the immune system which causes inflammation when the body tries to fight infection.
When the body cannot metabolize fatty acids for energy, it stores them in cells. The term, steatosis refers to this storing process and the increased number of fat vacuoles (also called adipocytes) that they form in a cell. These vacuoles or droplets accumulate in the cytoplasm of liver cells.
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