A gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) test measures the amount of GGT in the blood.
GGT is an enzyme found throughout the body, but it is mostly found in the liver.
When the liver is damaged, GGT may leak into the bloodstream.
High levels of GGT in the blood may be a sign of liver disease or damage to the bile ducts
GGT is typically the first liver enzyme to increase in your blood when any of your liver bile ducts become blocked or constricted. Because of this, it’s the most sensitive liver enzyme test for finding bile duct issues.
A GGT test can't diagnose the specific cause of liver disease. So it is usually done along with or after other liver function tests, most often an alkaline phosphatase (ALP) test.
What is it used for?
A GGT test is most often used to:
Help diagnose liver disease
Check for blockages in the bile ducts
Screen for or monitor alcohol use disorder
Can be ordered if a person is taking a medication that has potentially toxic effects on the liver
Why do I need a GGT test?
You may need a GGT test if you have symptoms of liver disease. Symptoms include:
Fatigue
Weakness
Jaundice
Loss of appetite
Abdominal pain or swelling
Nausea and vomiting
Results & Interpretation
Generally reference range for adults is 5 to 40 U/L (units per liter).
Normally, males tend to have more values than females
What does it mean if my GGT is high?
Having a higher-than-normal GGT level in your blood may indicate that a condition or disease is damaging your liver.
In general, the higher the GGT level, the greater the damage to your liver.
Liver conditions that can cause elevated GGT levels include:
Hepatitis
Cirrhosis
Cholestasis
Alcohol liver disease
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Liver ischemia
Liver tumor or liver cancer
2 окт 2024
