Guest guest Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 " • Blood tests can determine whether the amount of iron stored in the body is too high. The TRANSFERRIN SATURATION TEST reveals how much iron is bound to the protein that carries iron in the blood. Transferrin saturation values higher than 45 percent are considered too high. • The TOTAL IRON BINDING CAPACITY TEST measures how well your blood can transport iron, and the SERUM FERRITTIN TEST shows the level of iron in the liver. If either of these tests shows higher than normal levels of iron in the body, doctors can order a special blood test to detect the HFE mutation, which will confirm the diagnosis of hemochromatosis. If the mutation is not present, hereditary hemochromatosis is not the reason for the iron buildup and the doctor will look for other causes. • A LIVER BIOPSY may be needed, in which case a tiny piece of liver tissue is removed and examined with a microscope. The biopsy will show how much iron has accumulated in the liver and whether the liver is damaged. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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