Bilirubin, Bilirubin Blood Test, Bilirubin Test, Bilirubin Blood Test Procedure, Bilirubin blood test Results
Bilirubin Blood Test- Procedure, Risks and Results
Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may suggest doing a bilirubin blood test. What does it entail, read on to find out.
What is a Bilirubin Blood Test?
A bilirubin blood test measures the levels of bilirubin in your blood. Bilirubin is a yellowish substance made during your body's normal process of breaking down old red blood cells. Bilirubin is found in bile, a fluid your liver makes that helps you digest food.
If your liver is healthy, it will remove most of the bilirubin from your body. If your liver is damaged, bilirubin can leak out of your liver and into your blood. When too much bilirubin gets into the bloodstream, it can cause jaundice, a condition that causes your skin and eyes to turn yellow. Signs of jaundice, along with a bilirubin blood test, can help your health care provider find out if you have liver disease.
Bilirubin test is also referred to as Total Serum Bilirubin (TSB)
Why is Bilirubin Blood Test done?
A bilirubin blood test is used to check the health of your liver.
The test is also commonly used to help diagnose newborn jaundice. Many healthy babies get jaundice because their livers aren't developed enough to get rid of enough bilirubin. Newborn jaundice is usually not harmful and clears up within a few weeks. But in some cases, high bilirubin levels can lead to brain damage, so infants are often tested as a precaution.
Why do I need a bilirubin blood test?
Your healthcare provider may order a bilirubin blood test-
- If you have symptoms such as jaundice, dark urine, or stomach pain. These could be symptoms of hepatitis, cirrhosis, or other liver diseases. They may also be signs of gallbladder disease.
- To find out if there is a blockage in the bile ducts, the tubes that carry bile from your liver.
- To check on an existing liver disease or disorder.
- To diagnose disorders related to problems with breaking down red blood cells. High bilirubin levels in the bloodstream may be a sign of a condition called hemolytic anemia. In this condition, the body destroys red blood cells faster than it makes them.
What happens during a bilirubin blood test?
A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes.
Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?
Your health care provider may tell you to fast (not eat or drink) for four hours before your blood test. If there are any other special instructions, your provider will let you know.
Are there any risks to the test?
There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may experience slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.
What do the results mean?
Bilirubin test results are expressed as direct, indirect or total bilirubin. Total bilirubin is a combination of direct and indirect bilirubin. Typically, you'll get results for direct and total bilirubin.
Normal results for a total bilirubin test are 1.2 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) for adults and usually 1 mg/dL for those under 18. Normal results for direct bilirubin are generally 0.3 mg/dL.
These results may vary slightly from laboratory to laboratory. Normal results may be slightly different for women and children, and results may be affected by certain foods, medications or strenuous exercise. Be sure to tell your doctor about any foods or medications you've taken and your activity levels so that your results can be interpreted correctly.
Lower than normal bilirubin levels are usually not a concern. Elevated levels may indicate liver damage or disease.
Higher than normal levels of direct bilirubin in your blood may indicate your liver isn't clearing bilirubin properly. Elevated levels of indirect bilirubin may indicate other problems.
One common, and harmless, cause of elevated bilirubin is Gilbert's syndrome, a deficiency in an enzyme that helps break down bilirubin. Your doctor may order further tests to investigate your condition. Bilirubin test results also may be used to monitor the progression of certain conditions, such as jaundice.
In newborns, high bilirubin levels that don’t level out in a few days to 2 weeks may be a sign of:
- Blood type incompatibility between mother and child
- Lack of oxygen
- An inherited infection
- A disease affecting the liver
Is there anything else I need to know about a bilirubin blood test?
A bilirubin blood test is only one measure of your liver health. If your provider thinks you might have a liver disease or a red blood cell disorder, you may need other tests. These tests may include:
- Liver function tests, a group of tests that measure different substances in your blood.
- Liver protein tests
- Urine tests
- An ultrasound
- A liver biopsy to get a sample of your liver tissue to examine under a microscope.
