What is hepatology?
Hepatology is a medical subspecialty that focuses on the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, and pancreas. A hepatologist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases. The liver is a vital organ that performs many important functions, including: · Metabolism of nutrients · Detoxification of the blood · Production of bile · Storage of blood · Regulation of hormones The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ that stores bile, which is a fluid that helps to digest fats. The bile ducts are a system of tubes that carry bile from the liver to the small intestine. The pancreas is a large gland that produces digestive enzymes and hormones. Hepatologists diagnose and treat a wide range of liver diseases, including: · ...