Detecting PBC as early as possible may lead to better management of the disease

Getting a diagnosis of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) can often take a long time because it is a rare disease. Many healthcare providers may not check for it until they have ruled out more common conditions first.

The essential PBC glossary

As you do your research on PBC, you may come across a lot of words that are new to you. We’ve created a glossary of common terms to help you in your understanding of this disease.

Learn key PBC terms

Most people who have PBC do not have symptoms at the time they are diagnosed

In fact, many people who have PBC get diagnosed because their liver shows signs of damage during routine liver testing.

  • Routine testing is a common way to see how well the liver is working and often includes measuring:
  • albumin
  • alpha1-antitrypsin
  • alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
  • alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
  • aspartate aminotransferase (AST)
  • gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)
  • prothrombin time (PT)
  • bilirubin
  • In people who do show symptoms, the most common signs of PBC are fatigue and itching
Learn more about symptoms

The blood test done by a healthcare provider to confirm a diagnosis of PBC can also help set a benchmark for disease management

One of the key markers that healthcare providers first look at to diagnose PBC is your ALP level; ALP can then be tracked over time to help manage your disease.

  • ALP, sometimes called “alk phos,” is an enzyme found in the body
  • An abnormally high ALP level can be a sign of liver damage
  • In early stages of PBC, abnormally high ALP can be an early warning sign to healthcare providers that PBC may be present

It is also critical to test for antimitochondrial antibodies (AMAs) when PBC is suspected.

  • AMAs are proteins made by the immune system
  • The presence of AMAs is a sign of PBC

Some doctors perform a liver biopsy to confirm a diagnosis of PBC and to find out how far the disease has progressed.

There are various routine noninvasive imaging tests that can help diagnose and monitor PBC

These imaging technologies include:

  • Liver ultrasound, such as a FibroScan®
  • Computerized tomography (CT) scan
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan

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