Effect of patient positioning on liver size estimation

Area of Science:

• Nuclear medicine
• Diagnostic imaging
• Hepatology

Background:

• Technetium sulfur colloid imaging is a standard method for assessing liver size.
• Existing measurement standardization methods do not account for patient positioning (erect vs. recumbent).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of patient position on liver size measurements using technetium sulfur colloid imaging.
• To determine if liver dimensions change significantly between supine and erect positions.

Main Methods:

• 55 patients underwent technetium sulfur colloid imaging in both supine and erect positions.
• Vertical lengths of the right and left liver lobes were measured in both positions.

Main Results:

• A noticeable increase in the vertical liver length was observed from the supine to the upright position.
• A statistically significant increase in the vertical length of both liver lobes was confirmed in the majority of patients when imaged upright.

Conclusions:

• Patient position significantly affects liver size measurements obtained via technetium sulfur colloid imaging.
• Standardization protocols for liver size evaluation should consider patient posture to ensure accurate and reproducible results.