Publication: Sonographic Assessment of the Normal Dimensions of Liver, Spleen, and Kidney in Healthy Children at Tertiary Care Hospital
Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background
Ultrasonography is one of the most common imaging modality to measure dimensions
of visceral organs in children. However, the normal limit of size of visceral organs
according to age and body habitus has not been specified in the standard textbooks.
This might result in under detection of organomegaly in pediatrics population.
Objective
The objective of this study was to determine the normal range of dimensions for the
liver, spleen, and kidney in healthy children.
Method
This is prospective cross-sectional, hospital-based study done at Tertiary-care teaching
hospital. Participants included 272 pediatric subjects (152 male and 120 female) with
normal physical or sonographic findings who were examined because of problems
unrelated to the measured organs. The subjects were one month to 15 year (180
months) old. All measured organs were sonographically normal. Relationships of the
dimensions of these organs with sex, age, body weight and height were investigated.
Limits of normal dimensions of these organs were defined.
Result
Normal length of liver, kidneys and spleen were obtained sonographically for 272
children (152 male [55.9%] and 120 female [44.1%]) in the age group from 1 months
to 15 (180 months) years. The mean age was 45.78 months (SD, 44.73). The measured
dimensions of all these organs showed highest correlation with height and age so the
descriptive analysis of the organ dimensions (mean, minimum, and maximum values,
SD and 5th and 95th percentiles) were expressed in 10 age groups along with height
range of the included children. The mean length of right kidney was shorter than the
left kidney length, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.001).
Conclusion
This study provides practical and comprehensive guide to the normal visceral organ
dimension in pediatric population. The normal range limit of the liver, spleen, and
kidney determined in this study could be used as a reference in daily practice in local
radiology clinics.
KEY WORDS
Children, kidneys, liver, spleen, ultrasonography
Description
Thapa NB,1 Shah S,2 Pradhan A,3 Rijal K,1 Pradhan A,1 Basnet S4
1Department of Radiology
2Department of Pediatrics
3Department of Community Medicine
Kist Medical College Teaching Hospital,
Gwarko, Lalitpur, Nepal.
4Department of Pediatrics
Institute of Medicine,
Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Keywords
Children, Kidneys, Liver, Spleen, Ultrasonography