Hepatomegaly
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Liver fattening, CT scan |
Liver with disproportional fattening, CT scan |
Hepatomegaly |
Alternative names Hepatosplenomegaly;
Enlarged liver; Liver enlargement
Definition
Hepatomegaly is the enlargement
of the liver beyond its normal size. (Hepatosplenomegaly
is enlargement of both the liver and the spleen
-- see splenomegaly.)
Considerations
The lower edge of the liver normally comes
just to the lower edge of the ribs (costal margin)
on the right side. In its normal state, the
edge of the liver is thin and firm, and it cannot
be palpated (felt with the finger tips) below
the edge of the costal margin.
If the liver becomes enlarged enough that it
can be palpated below the costal margin, the
patient may have hepatomegaly. The diagnosis
must be confirmed by an imaging study of the
liver.
The liver is involved in a multitude of bodily
functions, and is affected by a variety of conditions,
many of which result in hepatomegaly. General
classes of causes include infection (viral, bacterial,
or parasitic), malignancy (cancer or tumors),
anemias, storage diseases, heart failure,
congenital heart disease, toxins, and metabolic
disturbances.
Common
causes
- Alcohol
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Congestive heart failure
- Infectious mononucleosis
- Leukemia
- Tumor metastases
- Neuroblastoma
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- Niemann-Pick disease
- Hereditary fructose intolerance
- Glycogen storage disease
- Primary biliary cirrhosis
- Sarcoidosis
- Sclerosing cholangitis
- Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS)
- Reye’s syndrome
Home
care
Contact your health care
provider.
Call
your health care provider if
This finding is usually discovered
by the health care provider, and the affected
individual may or may not have been aware of its
presence.
What
to expect
The medical history will
be obtained. This finding is usually discovered
by the health care provider during a physical
examination.
Medical history questions documenting hepatomegaly
in detail include:
- Time pattern
- When did you notice a fullness or lump
in the abdomen?
- Quality
- How much has it changed or enlarged?
- Other
- What other symptoms are also present?
- Is there any abdominal pain?
- Is there any yellowing of the skin (jaundice)?
- Is there any vomiting?
- Is there any unusual-colored or pale-colored
stools?
- Have you had any fevers?
- What medications are you taking?
- How much alcohol do you consume?
Diagnostic tests to determine the cause of the
hepatomegaly vary depending on the suspected cause,
but may include:
- Abdominal X-ray
- Ultrasound of the liver
- CT scan of the abdomen
- Liver function tests, including blood clotting
profiles
- Other tests for suspected causes
After seeing your health care provider:
You may want to add a diagnosis related to hepatomegaly
to your personal medical record. |
