If you need treatment for liver disease, you can first see a specialist called a gastroenterologist.
Gastroenterologist = doctor who treats the entire digestive system
Your gastroenterologist may suggest that you see another specialist, a hepatologist.
Hepatologist = Gastroenterologist who focuses on liver problems
Some of the conditions that hepatologists treat include:
- cirrhosis
- hepatitis
- Liver cancer
- Liver failure
- Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
Your hepatologist may run tests to find out what’s happening to your liver. This includes:
- Blood tests, including tests to check liver function and enzymes
- Blood tests that check for viral infections such as hepatitis
- Ultrasound or other imaging tests
- Liver biopsy
Even if you have had blood tests to check your liver, your doctor may want to do further tests to check for symptoms such as liver scarring.
How do you know which doctor to see?
Start with your primary care doctor. If necessary, they can connect you with a gastroenterologist and/or a hepatologist.
The earlier liver disease is detected, the better your chances of a good outcome are.
This educational resource was created with support from Merck.
