摘要 |
A method of determining the liver function of a patient, comprises the steps of (i) processing a series of blood samples which have passed through the liver of the patient and which have been collected at timed intervals after introducing an effective amount of a coloured or fluorescent bile acid derivative intravenously into the patient; and (ii) accessing the colour or fluorescence of bile acid derivative in each sample by: (a) processing the blood sample to obtain blood plasma containing the bile acid derivative, (b) measuring the colour or fluorescence of the bile acid derivative in the blood plasma, and (c) fitting the measurements obtained in step (b) to a plasma elimination curve and comparing the plasma elimination curve with plasma elimination curves obtained from individuals having known liver function, to arrive at a determination of liver function for the patient. |