Price Range
*Choose a city for the actual price
A bilirubin total test is used by doctors to assess the total amount of bilirubin in your body. This is important to diagnose liver problems and also problems related to your kidneys. Bilirubin is formed in the body when red blood cells break down. The liver changes the chemical properties of bilirubin so that it can be excreted out of the body with stool.
If there is a problem with the liver, the amount of bilirubin in the body can increase the normal range, which is used as a marker for liver damage or failure. A bilirubin total test actually involves reporting both the indirect and direct bilirubin levels in the body.
A bilirubin total test is prescribed when doctors suspect patients to have problems with their liver. Some of the symptoms that can warrant doctors to prescribe a bilirubin total test includes:
Unexplained weight loss
Fatigue and sleepiness
Vomiting, nausea, dark urine, and pale stool
Abdominal pain and inflammation
Yellowing of the skin
The symptoms mentioned are also common for kidney disease and can be a worthy cause for prescribing this test. Additional symptoms like dark urine and pale stool may be monitored.
The normal levels of a bilirubin total test are 1.2 mg/dL for adults both men and women. The normal range of direct bilirubin specifically is 0.3 mg/dL. Based on your test, abnormal results could indicate conditions relating to your liver or kidneys. Possible conditions that could be diagnosed include: Liver cirrhosis
A total bilirubin test is performed by drawing blood from the veins of the patient and sent for testing. There are no special prerequisites patients need to follow for going through this test.