An Assessment of the Accuracy of Hepatic and Splenic Size Based Upon a Clinician’s Physical Examination, a Radiologist’s Impression and the Actual Liver and Spleen Volumes Calculated by CT Scanning

Abstract

In this study, a radiologist's impression of liver and spleen size based on computed tomography (CT) images, calculated liver and spleen volumes as determined radiologically, and findings of a hepatologist were compared. One hundred and ninety-four consecutive subjects seen by a hepatologist were evaluated clinically and radiologically. Liver and spleen volumes were calculated based on CT images and compared to radiologist's impression and to expected liver volume based on body weight. Covariate analysis was used to determine the relationships between different variables, and a value of P < 0.05 was considered to be significant. Liver volume calculated on the basis of CT scans correlated to liver size based on the hepatologist's clinical exam but not to the radiologist's impression of liver size. In contrast, spleen volume based on CT scans, splenic size based upon radiologist's impression, and clinician's assessment all correlated well. A variety of biases determine and/or affect the radiologist's assessment of liver size but not of splenic size.