Bilirubin Direct Test

Bilirubin Direct Test Overview

A direct bilirubin test is used to measure the amount of bilirubin in your blood. The bilirubin test is most commonly used to diagnose conditions like gallstones or hepatitis. Direct bilirubin is found in your liver and it is excreted out of your body through stool and urine giving them both their yellowish appearance. 

Direct bilirubin is also known as conjugated bilirubin. Bilirubin is formed by the breakdown of red blood cells, which is then processed by the liver to be excreted out of the body with stool. A direct bilirubin test can help doctors understand if there are problems with the functioning of the liver.

When Is Bilirubin Direct Test Prescribed?

A direct bilirubin test is prescribed to patients when doctors suspect problems with liver functioning. Liver damage is also a common reason for this test to be prescribed by doctors. Some of the other conditions where a direct bilirubin test is prescribed includes hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, gallstones, and inflammation of the bile duct. Here is a list of symptoms that could warrant doctors to prescribe a bilirubin direct test.

• Abdominal swelling

• Clay coloured stool

• Yellowing of the skin

• Vomiting and nausea

Components of Bilirubin Direct Test

The normal level of direct bilirubin in your blood should be less than 0.3 mg/dL. If your test results are higher than normal, doctors may also prescribe a bilirubin body fluids test to check if you have bilirubin in your urine. If your test results are higher than the normal range it could indicate:

• Scarring in the bile duct

• Some types of cancer or tumour

• Sickle cell anaemia

• Septicemia

Procedure And Prerequisites

As a blood test, the direct bilirubin test is performed by drawing blood from the veins and sending it for testing. There are no special prerequisites patients need to follow before going through this test.