PEDIATRICS Vol. 71 No. 1 January 1983, pp. 46-48
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Clinical Estimation of Liver Size in Newborn Infants

Michael I. Reiff MD1 and Lucy M. Osborn MD, MSCM1

1 From the Division of Primary Care Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Center for the Health Sciences, Los Angeles

Liver size was measured in 100 healthy newborn infants of gestational ages 35 to 44 weeks. A mean liver span of 5.9 ± 0.8 cm was determined in these infants by measuring the distance between the percussed upper and palpated lower liver borders along the midclavicular line. This value correlated well with measurements derived from percussing both borders (r = .8) and correlated poorly with measurements of liver projection below the costal margin (r = .55). The practice of reporting liver projection below the costal margin as a single indicator of liver size should be discouraged.

Key Words: liver span • liver size • hepatomegaly • normal newborns • physical examination

Submitted on December 23, 1981
Accepted on April 13, 1982