Liver volume variation in patients with virus-induced cirrhosis: findings on MDCT

The objective of our study was to establish a standard liver volume formula and explore the correlation between hepatic lobe variations in patients with virus-induced cirrhosis and the severity of disease by measuring the volume of the whole liver, the left lateral segment, and the caudate lobe using 16-MDCT.

The volume and per-body surface area (BSA) volume of the whole liver, the left lateral segment, and the caudate lobe were calculated in 113 patients with normal livers and 101 patients with virus-induced cirrhosis who underwent volume CT. The proportion of the left lateral segment volume and the proportion of the caudate lobe volume to the total liver volume, the volume index, and the volume change ratio were also calculated, and these data were grouped by Child-Pugh classification and compared. The standard liver volume formula was constructed from body weight and body height or from BSA.

There was a positive correlation between liver volume (LV) and body height, body weight (BW) [LV (cm3) = 12.90 x BW (kg) + 437.91], and BSA [LV (cm3) = 882.08 x BSA (m2) - 308.12]. The total mean +/- standard error (SE) liver volume of the control group was 1,222.76 +/- 216.96 cm3. The mean volumes of the whole liver and of the left lateral segment were 798.01 +/- 203.64 and 213.04 +/- 74.84 cm3, respectively, for Child-Pugh class C patients, which was significantly smaller than those values for Child-Pugh class A and B patients (p < 0.05). The mean volume of the caudate lobe was 36.83 +/- 22.11 cm3 for Child-Pugh class A patients, which is significantly larger than those values for Child-Pugh class B and C patients (p < 0.05).

CT-measured liver volume and standard liver volume formulas were helpful in evaluating liver volume variations. Enlargement of the left lateral segment was absolute in Child-Pugh class A and B patients, but was relative in Child-Pugh class C patients; enlargement of the caudate lobe was absolute in Child-Pugh class A patients, but was relative in Child-Pugh class B and C patients.