The liver span is a measurement performed during physical examination to determine the size of the

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 i ...

and identify possible

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 abdo ...

. It is the distance between the lower border of the liver in the mid-clavicular line obtained by

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 ...

, 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

Liver anatomy {{med-diagnostic-stub