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Liver Span
The liver span is a measurement performed during physical examination to determine the size of the liver and identify possible hepatomegaly. It is the distance between the lower border of the liver in the mid-clavicular line obtained by palpation, and the upper border of the liver in the mid-clavicular line detected by percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ... (the upper border of the liver lies behind the ribs and can not be palpated). More accurate methods of estimating liver span include ultrasound and cross-sectional imaging (computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging). Normal liver span is , but varies with age, height, and weight. Depending on the physician's technique, estimates of the same liver span can vary by , on average. References Live ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Liver
The liver is a major organ only found in vertebrates which performs many essential biological functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth. In humans, it is located in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen, below the diaphragm. Its other roles in metabolism include the regulation of glycogen storage, decomposition of red blood cells, and the production of hormones. The liver is an accessory digestive organ that produces bile, an alkaline fluid containing cholesterol and bile acids, which helps the breakdown of fat. The gallbladder, a small pouch that sits just under the liver, stores bile produced by the liver which is later moved to the small intestine to complete digestion. The liver's highly specialized tissue, consisting mostly of hepatocytes, regulates a wide variety of high-volume biochemical reactions, including the synthesis and breakdown of small and complex molecule ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hepatomegaly
Hepatomegaly is the condition of having an enlarged liver. It is a non-specific medical sign having many causes, which can broadly be broken down into infection, hepatic tumours, or metabolic disorder. Often, hepatomegaly will present as an abdominal mass. Depending on the cause, it may sometimes present along with jaundice. Signs and symptoms The individual may experience many symptoms, including weight loss, poor appetite and lethargy (jaundice and bruising may also be present). Causes Among the causes of hepatomegaly are the following: Infective Mechanism The mechanism of hepatomegaly consists of vascular swelling, inflammation (due to the various causes that are infectious in origin) and deposition of (1) non-hepatic cells or (2) increased cell contents (such due to iron in hemochromatosis or hemosiderosis and fat in fatty liver disease). Diagnosis Suspicion of hepatomegaly indicates a thorough medical history and physical examination, wherein the latter typically i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mid-clavicular Line
{{short description, None Anatomical "lines", or "reference lines," are theoretical lines drawn through anatomical structures and are used to describe anatomical location. The following reference lines are identified in '' Terminologia Anatomica'': * Anterior median line * Lateral sternal line: A vertical line corresponding to the lateral margin of the sternum. * Parasternal line: A vertical line equidistant from the sternal and mid-clavicular lines. * Mid-clavicular line: A vertical line passing through the midpoint of the clavicle. * Mammillary line * Anterior axillary line: A vertical line on the anterior torso marked by the anterior axillary fold. * Midaxillary line: A vertical line passing through the apex of the axilla. * Posterior axillary line: A vertical line passing through the posterior axillary fold. * Scapular line: A vertical line passing through the inferior angle of the scapula. * Paravertebral line: A vertical line corresponding to the tips of the transverse proc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Palpation
Palpation is the process of using one's hands to check the body, especially while perceiving/diagnosing a disease or illness. Usually performed by a health care practitioner, it is the process of feeling an object in or on the body to determine its size, shape, firmness, or location (for example, a veterinarian can feel the stomach of a pregnant animal to ensure good health and successful delivery). Palpation is an important part of the physical examination; the sense of touch is just as important in this examination as the sense of sight is. Physicians develop great skill in palpating problems below the surface of the body, becoming able to detect things that untrained persons would not. Mastery of anatomy and much practice are required to achieve a high level of skill. The concept of being able to detect or notice subtle tactile signs and to recognize their significance or implications is called appreciating them (just as in general vocabulary one can speak of appreciating ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Percussion (medicine)
Percussion is a technique of clinical examination. Overview Percussion is a method of tapping on a surface to determine the underlying structures, and is used in clinical examinations to assess the condition of the thorax or abdomen. It is one of the four methods of clinical examination, together with inspection, palpation, auscultation, and inquiry. It is done with the middle finger of one hand tapping on the middle finger of the other hand using a wrist action. The nonstriking finger (known as the pleximeter) is placed firmly on the body over tissue. When percussing boney areas such as the clavicle, the pleximeter can be omitted and the bone is tapped directly such as when percussing an apical cavitary lung lesion typical of tuberculosis. There are two types of percussion: direct, which uses only one or two fingers; and indirect, which uses only the middle/flexor finger. Broadly classifying, there are four types of percussion sounds: resonant, hyper-resonant, stony dull or dul ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
