Liver Notes Flashcards
What is the bare area of the liver?
A large triangular area devoid of peritoneal covering located between the two layers of the coronary ligament.
What is Budd-Chiari syndrome?
Thrombosis of the main hepatic veins.
What is a cavernous hemangioma?
The most common benign neoplasm of the liver consisting of large blood-filled cystic spaces.
What is cirrhosis?
Irreversible and often progressive parenchymal fibrosis, scarring, and parenchymal necrosis with nodular regeneration.
What is collateral in vascular anatomy?
An accessory blood pathway developed through enlargement of secondary vessels.
What does Couinaud anatomy refer to?
Divides the liver into eight segments in an imaginary H pattern.
What is an echinococcal cyst?
An infectious cystic disease associated with underdeveloped sheep-herding areas of the world.
What is fatty infiltration of the liver?
An acquired and reversible condition resulting in accumulation of triglycerides in the hepatocytes.
What is functional lobar-segmental anatomy?
Divides the liver into the right, left, and caudate lobes.
What is Glisson’s capsule?
A thin connective tissue layer covering the liver and portal veins.
What does hepatofugal mean?
Blood flowing away from the liver.
What does hepatopetal mean?
Blood flowing into the liver.
What are liver function tests (LFTs)?
A generic term used for the laboratory values determining liver function (e.g., ALT, alkaline phosphatase).
What is the porta hepatis?
The region in the hepatic hilum containing the proper hepatic artery, common duct, and main portal vein.
What is portal hypertension?
Increased venous pressure in the portal circulation associated with compression or occlusion of the portal or hepatic veins.
What is a shunt?
A passageway between two natural channels.
What is a stent?
A tube designed to be inserted in a passageway or vessel to keep it patent.
What is traditional lobar anatomy?
Divides the liver into the right, left, caudate, and quadrate lobes.
What is a true hepatic cyst? What is it associated with?
Congenital cyst formation associated with weakening of the bile duct wall.
What is a varix?
An enlarged or tortuous vein, artery, or lymph vessel.
What are the functions of the liver? 9
- Breaks down red blood cells, producing bile pigments.
- Secretes bile into the duodenum through the bile ducts.
- Converts excess amino acids into urea and glucose.
- Manufactures glycogen from glucose and stores it for future use.
- Releases glycogen as glucose.
- Manufactures heparin.
- Regulates blood volume.
- Detoxifies harmful substances absorbed by the intestines.
- Major source of body heat as a result of many hepatocellular chemical reactions.
What is the size of the liver?
The largest solid organ in the body, weighing up to 1800 grams in males and 1400 grams in females.
The left lobe of the liver is dived by what? How?
Divided into medial and lateral segments by the left hepatic vein and ligamentum teres.
What is the caudate lobe?
The smallest lobe of the liver, separated from the left lobe by the proximal portion of the left hepatic vein and the ligamentum venosum.
What does the coronary ligament form?
Forms the anterior and posterior borders of the bare area and consists of two layers.
What is the falciform ligament? What does it attach to?
Two folds of parietal peritoneum that attach the liver to the anterior abdominal wall.
What does the gastrohepatic ligament connect?
Connects the lesser curvature of the stomach to the liver.
What does the hepatoduodenal ligament connect?
Connects the liver to the proximal duodenum and surrounds the portal triad.
What is the teres ligament formally? What is it also known as?
Also known as the round ligament, it is the previous fetal umbilical vein.
What is the triangular ligament?
The most lateral portion of the coronary ligament connecting the liver to the body wall.
What is the venosum ligament?
Separates the left lobe from the caudate lobe of the liver.
What is the left intersegmental fissure?
Divides the left lobe of the liver into medial and lateral segments.
What is Morison pouch?
Located lateral to the right lobe of the liver and anterior to the right kidney.
What is the subhepatic space?
Space located between the inferior edge of the right lobe and anterior to the right kidney.
What is the subphrenic space?
Space located between the diaphragm and the superior border of the liver.
What is the proper hepatic artery?
Enters the liver at the porta hepatis and divides into the right and left hepatic arteries.
What are the hepatic veins?
Right, middle, and left hepatic veins converge to empty into the inferior vena cava.
What is the main portal vein?
Begins at the portal-splenic confluence and enters the porta hepatis.
What is the location of the liver?
An intraperitoneal organ occupying the major portion of the right hypochondrium.
What is a diaphragmatic slip?
Diaphragmatic muscular bundles that connect the central tendon of the diaphragm to the inner aspect of the lower thoracic cage.
What is Riedel lobe?
Extension of the right lobe inferior and anterior to the lower pole of the kidney.
What is the normal size of the adult liver?
Midclavicular level 7–17 cm in length, 10–21 cm in height, 20–36 cm in width.
What is the normal sonographic appearance of the liver?
Medium shade of gray homogeneous liver parenchyma with moderately hyperechoic portal vein walls.
What is the appearance of bile ducts on ultrasound?
Anechoic tubular structures coursing through the liver parenchyma with smooth hyperechoic wall margins.