Bromsulphalein test

The bromsulphalein test is a medical procedure that uses a dye derived from phenolphthalein to assess liver function. This dye, a disodium salt, is administered intravenously, and its clearance from the bloodstream indicates how well the liver is processing it.1

While the phenolsulfonphthalein (PSP) test, which uses a similar dye, is primarily used to evaluate kidney function by measuring dye recovery in urine, the bromsulphalein test specifically targets the liver's excretory capacity. A healthy liver will rapidly remove the bromsulphalein dye from the blood, while impaired liver function will result in the dye remaining in circulation for a longer period. This test is now infrequently used in modern medicine.21