Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSigns and SymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Signs and Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
The liver is a large, wedge-shaped organ in the right upper abdomen. In adults, the liver measures about 14 centimeters (5.5 inches) from top to bottom, with some variability depending on sex or body size.
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This article discusses the signs and symptoms of hepatomegaly. It also covers causes, diagnosis, and treatment options.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Hepatomegaly?
Individuals with an enlarged liver may not have any symptoms. Occasionally, individuals may experience pressure or tenderness in their right upper abdomen.
Hepatomegaly itself is usually a symptom of some other underlying condition. For example, if an individual hasliver disease, they may also experience:
In addition to an enlarged liver, individuals withacute viral hepatitis, or an infection that causes liver damage, may also experience:
Hepatomegaly that has developed quickly is more likely to have symptoms than hepatomegaly of slow onset.
Abdominal Pain: What You Should Know
Hepatomegaly Causes
A wide range of diseases can cause hepatomegaly. These include:
Occasionally, normal anatomical variations of the liver can be confused for hepatomegaly.
How Is Hepatomegaly Diagnosed?
Hepatomegaly is often found during a routine physical examination. Your healthcare provider will:
In many cases, the cause of liver enlargement may be clear from your medical history alone.
Non-Invasive Tests
Imaging tests may be used to confirm liver enlargement and offer information about the size and structure of the liver.
If imaging tests are ordered, the first may be anabdominal ultrasound, which uses sound waves to create images of your organs. During the test, a sonographer will place a device on your skin surface and record the resulting images. Abdominal ultrasounds are painless, fast, and inexpensive.
If necessary, your healthcare provider may order additional, more complex imaging tests including:
Invasive Tests
More invasive testing is sometimes necessary depending on the results of the non-invasive tests. More invasive tests may include:
Like a paracentesis, a liver biopsy is also performed on an outpatient basis using a local anesthetic, during which a small needle is placed into the liver through the skin and a tiny piece of tissue removed.
Hepatomegaly Treatment
Viral Hepatitis
Hepatic (Liver) Adenoma Formation and Treatment
Hepatomegaly With Steatosis
Just like individuals with other types of liver disease, those with MASLD can progress to advanced liver disease and cirrhosis. Obesity, type 2 diabetes, andhyperlipidemiaplace you at higher risk for MASLD. Treatment often centers on lifestyle modification such as:
Drinking Too Much Alcohol
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can cause a range of liver conditions, including alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic fatty liver disease, orcirrhosis.
It is critical to recognize the signs and symptoms of alcohol use disorder early because individuals often do not develop symptoms until they have life-threatening liver disease.
Treatment for alcohol use disorder may take many different forms, including:
Liver Tumors
Both benign and malignant liver tumors may cause enlargement of the liver. The most common types of benign liver tumors include cysts, hemangiomas, adenomas, or focal nodular hyperplasia.
Benign Liver Tumors
Usually, no treatment is necessary for benign liver tumors, unless they are causing severe symptoms such as abdominal pain or bleeding.
Rarely, liver adenomas can degenerate into a cancerous tumor, and your healthcare provider may recommend periodic imaging to make sure no changes have occurred in your liver.
Malignant Liver Tumors
Malignant liver tumors can be divided into primary or secondary liver tumors. Primary liver tumors are tumors that arise directly from the liver tissue. The most common examples arehepatocellular carcinomaorcholangiocarcinoma.
The treatment for primary liver tumors may include:
A secondary liver tumor is a tumor from some other part of the body that has involved the liver. Tumors may grow directly into the liver (known as direct invasion) or may spread to the liver via the bloodstream (known asmetastasis). Almost any tumor can spread to the liver, and treatment is variable.
Storage Disorders of the Liver
There are numerous liver storage diseases—examples include hemochromatosis (in which the liver stores too much iron), Wilson’s disease (too much copper), or glycogenosis (glycogen, a molecule related to sugar).
If left untreated, these diseases can cause life-threatening liver failure. Treatment is variable and can include dietary changes or medications which capture the offending molecules.
A Word From Verywell
It may be frightening to learn that your liver is enlarged. However, most of the causes of liver enlargement are benign and treatable. Your medical history and symptoms will guide the appropriate workup.
Open communication with your healthcare workers will ensure that you understand the diagnostic and treatment plan and will help mitigate any anxiety you might have.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cleveland Clinic.Enlarged liver.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Viral hepatitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Enlarged Liver: Diagnosis and Tests.Nassir F, Rector RS, Hammoud GM, Ibdah JA.Pathogenesis and Prevention of Hepatic Steatosis.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y).Merck Manual Professional Version.Alcoholic liver disease.Madrazo BL.Using imaging studies to differentiate among benign liver tumors.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y).Cong WM, Bu H, Chen J, et al.Practice guidelines for the pathological diagnosis of primary liver cancer: 2015 update.World J Gastroenterol. 2016;22(42):9279–9287. doi:10.3748/wjg.v22.i42.9279Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Liver Metastases (Secondary Liver Cancer).Cleveland Clinic.Glycogen Storage Disease (GSD).
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cleveland Clinic.Enlarged liver.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Viral hepatitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Enlarged Liver: Diagnosis and Tests.Nassir F, Rector RS, Hammoud GM, Ibdah JA.Pathogenesis and Prevention of Hepatic Steatosis.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y).Merck Manual Professional Version.Alcoholic liver disease.Madrazo BL.Using imaging studies to differentiate among benign liver tumors.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y).Cong WM, Bu H, Chen J, et al.Practice guidelines for the pathological diagnosis of primary liver cancer: 2015 update.World J Gastroenterol. 2016;22(42):9279–9287. doi:10.3748/wjg.v22.i42.9279Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Liver Metastases (Secondary Liver Cancer).Cleveland Clinic.Glycogen Storage Disease (GSD).
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cleveland Clinic.Enlarged liver.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Viral hepatitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Enlarged Liver: Diagnosis and Tests.Nassir F, Rector RS, Hammoud GM, Ibdah JA.Pathogenesis and Prevention of Hepatic Steatosis.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y).Merck Manual Professional Version.Alcoholic liver disease.Madrazo BL.Using imaging studies to differentiate among benign liver tumors.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y).Cong WM, Bu H, Chen J, et al.Practice guidelines for the pathological diagnosis of primary liver cancer: 2015 update.World J Gastroenterol. 2016;22(42):9279–9287. doi:10.3748/wjg.v22.i42.9279Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Liver Metastases (Secondary Liver Cancer).Cleveland Clinic.Glycogen Storage Disease (GSD).
Cleveland Clinic.Enlarged liver.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Viral hepatitis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Enlarged Liver: Diagnosis and Tests.
Nassir F, Rector RS, Hammoud GM, Ibdah JA.Pathogenesis and Prevention of Hepatic Steatosis.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y).
Merck Manual Professional Version.Alcoholic liver disease.
Madrazo BL.Using imaging studies to differentiate among benign liver tumors.Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y).
Cong WM, Bu H, Chen J, et al.Practice guidelines for the pathological diagnosis of primary liver cancer: 2015 update.World J Gastroenterol. 2016;22(42):9279–9287. doi:10.3748/wjg.v22.i42.9279
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Liver Metastases (Secondary Liver Cancer).
Cleveland Clinic.Glycogen Storage Disease (GSD).
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