Linear Morphometric Parameters of the Liver in Children and Adolescents according to Intravital Imaging Findings

Abstract

The aim of the study is to define age and gender regularities of the linear morphometric parameters of the liver in children and adolescents on the basis of intravital imaging findings.Material and methods. The authors analyzed computed tomograms of the abdominal cavity in 75 children without visible pathology. All patients were divided into 4 groups depending on their age: early childhood, first childhood, second childhood, adolescence. The transverse, anteroposterior and vertical dimensions of the right and left hepatic lobes were investigated on 16-slice computed tomographs. The obtained findings were processed using variational statistical analysis, the mean value (M), standard error (m) and the statistical significance were defined using the Student's t-test.Results. There was a significant increase in the anteroposterior size of the right hepatic lobe in separate sections at different age periods. A statistical significance between the parameters of the anteroposterior size of the right hepatic lobe was registered in girls and boys within the following groups: on one section in the 2nd group of patients, on two sections in the 4th group of patients. A statistical significance between the parameters of the transverse size of the right hepatic lobe was registered on one section (ThXII) in the 2nd and 3rd groups, and on two (ThXI and LI) and three (ThXI, ThXII and LI) sections in the 3rd and 4th groups of girls and boys, respectively. A statistical significance between the parameters of the transverse size of the right hepatic lobe in girls and boys were recorded only in the 4th group on three sections (ThXI, ThXII and LI). The vertical size of the right hepatic lobe was significantly higher in the 2nd and 4th groups, and the differences in the parameters between girls and boys were noted only among adolescents. A significant increase in the anteroposterior size of the left hepatic lobe was registered only in girls of the 2nd and 3rd groups on two sections (ThXII and LI); a significant increase in the transverse size was only registered at the LI level in these groups of patients. A significant increase in the vertical size of the left hepatic lobe was only detected in girls of the first childhood compared with girls of the early childhood. No statistical significance was registered for any of the linear parameters of the left hepatic lobe between girls and boys of the same groups.Conclusion. Thus, there was a significant increase in the anteroposterior and transverse dimensions of the right hepatic lobe in separate sections and an increase in the vertical size between individual groups of the studied patients, as well as a statistical significance between girls and boys of the same group. A significant increase in the anteroposterior and transverse dimensions of the left hepatic lobe was detected only in girls of the 2nd and 3rd groups if compared with the girls of the 1st group. No significant differences were registered between girls and boys of the same groups for any of the linear parameters of the left hepatic lobe.