This disease is usually diagnosed with a routine blood test. The doctor may try to know the medical history of the patient and do a physical examination. The tests done are,
- Iron Levels - People with hemochromatosis have high levels of iron in blood.
- Transferrin Saturation (Ts) Test - This blood test measures the percentage of transferrin and other proteins that have too much iron.
- Ferritin Levels- Ferritin levels increase when iron levels inside the body increase. It rises significantly when iron levels become high.
- Liver Biopsy - Small samples of liver tissue or cells are removed and checked under a microscope.
- Genetic Testing- This blood test looks for the gene changes that cause hereditary hemochromatosis.