Ultrasonic determination of hepatomegaly

Retrospective evaluation of abdominal ultrasound examinations were made in 36 patients who came to autopsy within 1 month after the ultrasound study. Without knowledge of clinical or autopsy data, two observers made independent determinations of the midhepatic line measurement of the liver on the ultrasound study using supine and left lateral decubitus longitudinal scans. Autopsy determination of hepatomegaly was made using hepatic weight, patient's total body weight, and patient age correlated with pertinent clinical history. Results of the autopsy/ultrasound correlation demonstrated that those livers measuring 13.0 cm or less in the midhepatic line (both supine and left lateral decubitus positions) were normal in 93% of the cases. Similarly, it was demonstrated that when the liver measured 15.5 cm or greater, it was enlarged in 75% of the cases. Used together, these two criteria result in an 87% accuracy rate in determining the presence or absence of hepatomegaly. Approximately 25% of the cases in our study fell into the borderline category of 13.0-15.5 cm.