As part of a full liver screen you might have blood tests for some specific liver conditions. This could be because your doctor thinks you might have the condition, or just to rule it out.
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Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT test)
An alpha-1 antitrypsin test is one of the tests used to diagnose a condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD).
The test is a blood test. The sample is usually taken from your arm. You can eat and drink as normal before the test.
The alpha-1 antitrypsin test alone cannot diagnose alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. The results of the test will be looked at alongside the results of other tests.
Caeruloplasmin test and copper tests
You might have a caeruloplasmin test to check for a condition called Wilson’s disease.
People with Wilson’s disease cannot process copper in the normal way. The caeruloplasmin test looks at the amount of a protein called caeruloplasmin in your blood. This protein moves copper around the body.
You might also have a blood test to look for copper in your blood or urine.
These tests cannot diagnose Wilson’s disease on their own. You will need to have other tests as well. Doctors will look at the results of all these tests together to make a diagnosis.
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This content was last reviewed: August 2025
Our expert reviewers:
We would like to thank everyone who helped with creating and reviewing this page. Including Professor Stephen Ryder, consultant hepatologist at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS trust And all our patient reviewers.
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Everyone’s experience of liver disease will be different. Always talk to your specialist medical team for personal advice.
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