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Hepatomegaly
ICD-10	R16..0
ICD-9	789.1

Hepatomegaly is the condition of having an enlarged liver. It is a nonspecific medical sign having many causes, which can broadly be broken down into infection, direct toxicity, hepatic tumours, or metabolic disorder. Often, hepatomegaly will present as an abdominal mass. Depending on the cause, it may sometimes present along with jaundice.

[edit] Diagnosis

After a thorough medical history and physical examination, blood tests should be drawn. An important series of blood tests are the liver function tests, which give a good impression of the patient's broad metabolic picture.

An ultrasound of the liver can reliably detect a dilated biliary duct system, which helps distinguish parenchymal liver disease from extrahepatic bile duct obstruction. Ultrasound can also detect the characteristic texture of a cirrhotic liver, and can guide fine needle aspiration of cysts, abscesses and tumours.

Computed tomography (CT) can help obtain more accurate anatomical information, and is unaffected by obesity or the presence of bowel gases.

[edit] Common Causes

[edit] Infective

Glandular fever (Infectious mononucleosis) This is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).
Hepatitis (Although not all hepatitis viruses cause hepatomegaly)
Liver abscess(pyogenic abscess and amoebic abscess)
Malaria
Amoeba infections
Hydatid cyst
Leptospirosis
Actinomycosis

[edit] Neoplastic

[edit] Cirrhotic

Portal
Biliary
Cardio
Haemochromatosis

[edit] Metabolic

[edit] Drugs and Toxins

[edit] Congenital

[edit] Others

[edit] See also

Hepatosplenomegaly

[edit] External links

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