Liver enlargement

 Liver enlargement

In adults the liver is about 1/36 but at birth it is 1/ 24 to 1 / 18 of the whole body weight , so that in Infants  and children it is relatively larger than in adults. Hence a normal liver in children may be mistaken for being enlarged. Alteration in the chest  may lead to displacement of the river giving dri
rise to false impression of enlargement. Deformaties of chest  due to rickets or kyphoscoliosis  may lead to depression of liver . Similarly a large pericardial effusion or a subdiaphragmatic abscess may displace the liver. It is unusual fir liver to enlarge upwards except in cases of hydated cyst, amoebic abscess, subdiaphragmatic abscess etc. Hepatic dullness may be diminished or obliterated in emphysema or air inside the peritoneal cavity.