Correlation between clinical examination and ultrasound of liver and spleen span in normal children between 12 and 18 years

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine liver and spleen span in normal Egyptian school children of 12–18 years of age in El-Gharbiah governorate using the ultrasonographic method. Background: A sound measurement of the liver and spleen size in children of different age groups is necessary to help the pediatrician exclude hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. Patients and methods: This study included 300 healthy Egyptian school children from El-Gharbiah governorate — Kotour district. The age of the children ranged from 12 to 18 years (156 boys and 144 girls). The children were divided into six groups (12 up to 13 years, 13 up to 14 years, 14 up to 15 years, 15 up to 16 years, 16 up to 17 years, and 17 up to 18 years). The age, weight, and height were assessed, and the BMI was calculated. The clinical liver span was estimated by percussion and palpation and compared with ultrasonography; in addition, the spleen size was obtained by ultrasound (US). Results: Normal liver and spleen length and range were obtained sonographically. There was strong positive correlation between clinical liver span and age, weight, height, BMI, and US liver longitudinal at midclavicular line and at midline diameters. In addition, there was strong positive correlation between US liver at midclavicular line and age, weight, height, BMI, US liver longitudinal at midline, and US spleen diameters (P Conclusion: The study provides the normal values of clinical liver span and ultrasonography of liver and spleen size in healthy children from 12 to 18 years of age.