Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Visualization of Vascular and Parenchymal Regeneration after 70% Partial Hepatectomy in Normal Mice
Published on: September 13, 2016
[Liver volume in patients with or without cirrhosis: the impacts of physiological factors and the correlation with
Xuan Wang1, Hua-Dan Xue, Wei Liu
1Department of Radiology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China.
Objective:
To explore the impacts of physiological factors on liver volume in patients with or without cirrhosis and to investigate its correlation with two different hepatic function scoring systems.
Methods:
Totally 44 consecutive patients without any suspicious hepatic disease and 17 contemporaneous patients who had been diagnosed as cirrhosis by natural history, clinical performance, past-imaging examination (ultrasound or CT), and serum tests were enrolled. Contrast enhanced abdomen CT scan was performed with 64-slice CT (target study phase: portal phase; reconstruction slice thickness: 2mm; slice interval: 2mm; Kernel value: B30s Smooth). We defined the concept of liver body index (LBI) = total liver volume (TLV) (cm3)/[1000 x body surface areal (BSA) (m2)]. The correlations between liver volume and individual physiological factors were analyzed, and the relationships between volume parameters and two hepatic scoring systems of cirrhosis group were explored.
Results:
The average TLV was (1249 +/- 248) cm3 in control group. TLV correlated well with patient's height, weight, and BSA (r = 0.5285, r = 0.5754, r = 0.6210 ; P < 0.01), and weakly correlated with body mass index (r = 0.3074, P < 0.05). TLV weakly negatively correlated with age (rs = -0.3342, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference of TLV grouping by sex when setting weight as covariant factor. In cirrhosis group the liver volume was not correlated with the patients' weight or BSA. The average liver volume was decreased to (1044 +/- 300) cm3, which was significantly different from that in control group (P < 0.01). While Child-Pugh was not correlated with volume parameters in cirrhosis group, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was significantly correlated with LBI (r = -0.6937, P < 0.05).
Conclusion:
TLV relates to several physiological factors in general population. MELD score, rather than Child-Pugh score, correlates with TLV and LBI in patients with cirrhosis.
Related Concept Videos
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing and Hepatic Blood Flow
Cirrhosis II: Pathophysiology
Cirrhosis I: Introduction
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Dose Adjustments Due to Hepatic Impairment
Liver Physiology
Metabolic Regulation:
The liver is the central organ involved in regulating blood composition. It stabilizes blood glucose levels, maintaining them within the range of 70–110 mg/dL. When these levels drop, the liver breaks down glycogen reserves and releases glucose into the bloodstream. It can also...
