Morphometric Study of Caudate Lobe of Liver.

ABSTRACT

Background: To study the morphology of the caudate lobe of liver. The caudate lobe is visible on the posterior surface, bounded on the left by the fissure for the ligamentum venosum, below by the porta hepatis and on the right by the groove for the inferior vena cava. Above, it continues into the superior surface on the right of the upper end of the fissure for the ligamentum venosum. Below and to the right, it is connected to the right lobe by a narrow caudate process, which is immediately behind the porta hepatis and above the epiploic foramen. Below and to the left, the caudate lobe has a small rounded papillary process. Taking into consideration clinical importance of this lobe in metastasis, cirrhosis and hepatic resections a morphological study was carried out on caudate lobe. Methods: This study was undertaken on 36 cadaveric livers available in the Department of Anatomy of Shri Ram Murti Smarak Institute of Medical Sciences, Bareilly to study the morphometery of caudate lobe of liver using vernier caliper. Results: Various shapes of the caudate lobe were observed, rectangular being the commonest. Conclusion: Knowledge of variations of caudate lobe may be important to anatomists and morphologists for new variant, embryologists for new developmental defect, clinicians for diseases, surgeons for planning surgery involving liver, and imagery specialists for avoiding misinterpretation of CT and MRI.