A study on the morphological variations of the liver and its clinical significance

Abstract

Liver is a wedge shaped visceral organ in the body, occupies right hypochondrium, epigastric region and extends in to left hypochondrium. A thorough knowledge of anatomy of liver and its variations will avoid errors in diagnostic imaging and will also help the surgeons design appropriate surgical approaches. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy of our Institution. A total of 35 numbers of livers removed from cadavers were used for the study. The morphological variations of liver such as changes in size, shape, presence of accessory lobes, fissures, hypoplastic lobes were noted and tabulated. Results: Out of the 35 livers studied, 15 specimens (42.9%) exhibited normal fissures and lobes, 13 (37.1%) had accessory fissures over different lobes. In 3(8.6%) specimens of liver hypoplastic left lobe was observed and in 4(11.4%) specimens lingular process of left lobe was observed. There were 8 accessory fissures were seen in right lobe, 5 in left lobe, 4 in caudate lobe and 5 in quadrate lobe. Out of 35 livers studied, accessory lobes were observed in 9 liver specimens, which can be grouped as 1 in right lobe, 2 in left lobe, 5 in caudate lobe and 1 in quadrate lobe. Conclusion:The authors conclude that morphological variations of liver must be taken in to account by the Radiologist and G a stroenterologist while making various differential diagno sis as these variations can present various clinical manifestations/ implications.

Significance and Clinical Implications of Morphometric and Morphological Variability in Cadaveric Liver

“…The lingular process was reported by Anasuya et al in 14% of livers out of 50 specimens [ 7 ]. Chaudhari et al reported it in 12.5% of the livers [ 10 ] and Dinesh et al in 11.4% of the cases [ 15 ]. Wahane and Satpute and Anbumani et al found lingular process in 4% and 6.6% of livers, respectively [ 16 , 17 ].…”