Liver Function Test (LFT) Report Explained
LFT stands for liver function test, but most of what it measures is liver damage, not liver function. Knowing the difference changes how you read your own report.
Medically reviewed by the RIIMS medical team · Last updated: June 2026
Go to hospital now
- Yellow eyes or skin with confusion or unusual drowsiness
- Vomiting blood, or black tarry stools
See a doctor soon (not an emergency)
- Albumin below the laboratory range
- INR above the laboratory range
- Bilirubin persistently raised on repeat testing
What does a liver function test (LFT) report actually measure?
LFT is something of a misnomer. Most of the tests grouped under a liver function test report, SGPT (ALT), SGOT (AST), ALP and GGT, actually measure liver cell damage or bile-duct strain, not how well the liver is functioning. Only three values on the panel measure function directly: albumin (the main protein the liver makes), bilirubin (a waste product the liver clears), and INR (a measure of how well the liver makes clotting factors). This distinction matters because a liver can be extensively scarred, even cirrhotic, and still return a completely normal LFT report. A patient with cirrhosis and bleeding varices can have SGPT, SGOT and bilirubin all within range, because by that stage there are too few working liver cells left to raise the damage markers, even though the function that remains is failing. A normal LFT report is reassuring, but it is not proof of a normal liver. Typical laboratory ranges are roughly SGPT 7–55 U/L, SGOT 8–48 U/L, total bilirubin 0.1–1.2 mg/dL, albumin 3.5–5.0 g/dL, ALP 45–115 U/L, GGT 0–50 U/L, and INR 0.8–1.1. Every one of these ranges varies slightly between laboratories, so read the range printed on your own report, not the numbers on this page.
Symptoms to watch for
- A report with SGPT/SGOT raised but everything else normal
- A report where every value looks normal but you feel unwell
- Low albumin or a prolonged INR on an otherwise unremarkable report
- Raised bilirubin, with or without yellow eyes
- Old reports that were never compared side by side
- A report ordered for an unrelated reason that came back abnormal
When to consult a doctor
Bring your LFT report to a doctor for review, especially if albumin is low, bilirubin is raised, or INR is prolonged, even if SGPT and SGOT look normal. Do not assume a normal report rules out a liver problem if you have other symptoms or risk factors.