Sonographic assessment of liver dimension among school aged children in Calabar, South-South Nigeria

Abstract

Background: One of the organs readily assessed during abdominal scanning is the liver and this is due to the wide range of diseases associated with changes in liver size. Ultrasound scan remains a very important modality for liver evaluation because it is simple, not expensive, non-invasive and readily available but yet there is no record of ultrasound measurement of liver sizes among school - age children in Calabar.

Method: Four hundred and seventy apparently healthy school-age children (3-14 years) were studied. 244(52%) were females, mean age 8.2±1.6 years and 226(48%) were males, mean age 8.0±1.4 years. Liver size of the subjects was measured sonographically in the right midclavicular line to determine anteroposterior (AP) and longitudinal diameters of the liver. Biodata of the subjects (sex, age, height, weight and body mass index (BMI) were evaluated prospectively .The subjects were divided into four groups according to age, sex, height and weight.

Results: The mean AP and longitudinal diameter of the liver for males was 102.5±7.3mm and 130.9±7.4mm respectively and that of females was 98.3±6.6mm and 121.0±5.1mm respectively. Age, height and BMI significantly correlated with the longitudinal and AP diameter of the liver (r > 0.5, P < 0.002).

Conclusion: School age children in Calabar have a mean AP diameter of liver as 100.3±7.3mm with a range of 75.2-129mm and a mean longitudinal diameter of liver as 125.0±10.4mm with a range of 100 - 158mm.

Keywords: liver, sonography, diameter, midclavicular line.