How is acute fatty liver of pregnancy diagnosed?
In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, diagnosis of AFLP is most accurate by liver biopsy (taking a sample of liver tissue for examination under a microscope), but this is not always possible in pregnancy. Usually, the symptoms of AFLP are often clear enough to diagnose the condition. Blood tests can rule out other conditions or diseases that have similar symptoms. Ultrasound (a diagnostic imaging technique which uses high-frequency sound waves and a computer to create images of blood vessels, tissues, and organs) or computed tomography (CT) scan (a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images, often called slices, both horizontally and vertically, of the body) may also be used for diagnosis.
