Various Options For Diagnosing And Treating Hemochromatosis

Liver Cancer Screening

An individual can undergo liver cancer screening to help diagnose hemochromatosis. If an individual has abnormal results on their serum iron panel and elevated liver enzyme levels, their physician may recommend an MRI scan or ultrasound to get a better idea of the iron content and the extent of damage it may have done to the hepatocytes. If the imaging tests have abnormal or inconclusive results, a hemochromatosis patient may need to undergo a biopsy of their liver. They are most likely to experience an accumulation of iron in their liver tissues before other organs like the heart, pancreas, joints, or pituitary gland. A liver biopsy is performed by inserting a hollow needle into the patient's abdomen and penetrating their liver. The large needle is then used to extract a small piece of liver tissue so it can be sent to a pathology lab for analysis. The pathology lab will search for signs of liver damage and the presence of iron in the liver cells to help with the diagnosis or elimination of hemochromatosis.

Continue reading to learn about how hemochromatosis can be treated now.