VI Международная студенческая научная конференция Студенческий научный форум - 2014

The liver is situated under the lower part of the right thorax and extends to the upper right abdominal quadrant being partially projected to the upper left quadrant as well. The weight of this gland ranges from 1.4 to 1.6 kg in men and from 1.2 to 1.4 kg in women. The horizontal transverse liver size may be from 20 to 22.5 cm. The vertical liver size ranges from 15 to 18 cm. The antero-posterior liver size at the level of the right kidney is from 10 to 13 cm. During human development liver size augments with age and achieves fully developed indices in teenagers of 15 or 16 years. The liver size may be influenced by body constitution, sex, age, diseases and other factors. The indices also depend on the methods of examination and investigation. Examining the patients, doctors use percussion and palpation to determine the liver size, consistence of the organ as well as the position of its lower edge. The percussion results demonstrate the average liver size of 7 cm for females and 10.5 cm for males. The deviations of liver size of 2 to 3 cm upper or lower from the average measures are thought to be aberrant.

As adult humans can be of different size, so can the liver. By percussion, the mean liver size is 7 cm for women and 10.5 cm for men. A liver span 2 to 3 cm larger or smaller than these values is considered abnormal. The liver weighs 1200 to 1400 g in the adult woman and 1400 to 1500 g in the adult man.Percussion is performed to determine liver size, for the margins of the liver can be estimated by this technique. The upper border is percussed using heavy percussion, eliminating the resonant quality produced by the overlying segment of the lung. Light percussion, with the examiner's ear close to the abdomen, best determines the lower border of the liver, because of the liver's opposition to the anterior abdominal wall. The inferior extent may be underestimated if heavy percussion is used. Percussion should first be performed at the right midclavicular line, then at the midsternal and anterior axillary lines. The normal upper level of the liver is at the level of the right nipple, whereas the lower margin of the liver is at the right costal margin. The normal size is variable, particularly in relation to body size.

The average width of this body part is around 21 cm to 22.5 cm. The vertical height of the organ is estimated to be 15 cm to 17.5 cm. From the front to back, the organ measures 10 cm to 12.5 cm. The average weight of this body part is between 1.4 kilograms to 1.6 kilograms. Learning the average and normal liver size is important to the detection of fatty infiltration.

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