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The liver span is a measurement performed during physical examination to determine the size of the liver and identify possible hepatomegaly.. It is the distance between the lower border of the liver in the mid-clavicular line obtained by palpation, and the upper border of the liver in the mid-clavicular line detected by percussion (the upper border of the liver lies behind the ribs and can not ...
At birth, the liver comprises roughly 4% of body weight and weighs on average about 120 g (4 oz). Over the course of further development, it will increase to 1.4–1.6 kg (3.1–3.5 lb) but will only take up 2.5–3.5% of body weight. [40] Hepatosomatic index (HSI) is the ratio of liver weight to body weight. [41]
In the axial plane, the caudate lobe should normally have a cross-section of less than 0.55 of the rest of the liver. [2] Other ultrasound studies have suggested hepatomegaly as being defined as a longitudinal axis > 15.5 cm at the hepatic midline, or > 16.0 cm at the midclavicular line. [17] [18]
In addition, discrimination of synchronous lesions that have a different nature is also important knowing that up to 25–50% of liver lesions less than 2 cm detected in cancer patients may be benign . US sensitivity for metastases detection varies depending on the examiner's experience and the equipment used and ranges between 40 and 80% .
In patients with deranged liver function tests, ultrasound may show increased liver size (hepatomegaly), increased reflectiveness (which might, for example, indicate cholestasis), gallbladder or bile duct diseases, or a tumor in the liver. Ultrasonography of liver tumors involves two stages: detection and characterization.
Currently, if the hepatic adenoma is >5 cm, increasing in size, symptomatic lesions, has molecular markers associated with HCC transformation, rising level of liver tumor markers such as alpha fetoprotein, the patient is a male, or has a glycogen storage disorder, the adenoma is recommended to be surgically removed. [7]
Liver size can be enlarged, normal, or shrunken in people with cirrhosis. [36] As the disease progresses, the liver will typically shrink due to the result of scarring. [37] Jaundice is the yellowing of the skin. It can additionally cause yellowing of mucous membranes notably of the white of the eyes.
The liver scratch test can be used when other exam techniques used to approximate liver size are ineffective or unavailable [2] and is thought to be most useful if the abdomen is distended, too tender for direct palpation, the abdominal muscles are too rigid, or the patient is obese. [3]