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The Liver and Biliary Tract. Anatomical and Physiological Considerations

  • Chapter
Cholescintigraphy

Part of the book series: Developments in Nuclear Medicine ((DNUM,volume 1))

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Abstract

The liver is the largest organ in the body weighing in the adult of 1200–1500 g comprising one fiftieth of the total body weight. It is located in the upper part of the abdomen where it occupies the right hypochondriac and the greater part of the epigastric region. A part of its surface is associated with the diaphragm. The location of the liver is dependent on the position of the body and varies with respiration. The topography is altered in some diseases and can be changed by displacement of the organ due to thoracic processes which may push the liver downwards (1). In contrast to the multilobulated liver of many mammals, the human liver is a compact and continuous mass of parenchyma. There are two anatomically distinct lobes, divided conventionally by the line of insertion of the falciform ligament. The right lobe is larger than the left lobe and has on its posterior-inferior surface two smaller lobes: the caudate and the quadrate lobes. The whole organ is covered by the fibrous capsule of Glisson. In the porta hepatis which is situated on the visceral surface of the right lobe, the branches of the hepatic artery and portal vein enter the liver and the common bile duct leaves the liver. At this point the capsule of Glisson enters into the liver following the blood vessels and biliary ducts.

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  1. H. S. L. M. Tjen
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Rotterdamsch Radio-Therapeutisch Institut, Rotterdam, Netherlands

    P. H. Cox

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© 1981 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, The Hague

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Tjen, H.S.L.M. (1981). The Liver and Biliary Tract. Anatomical and Physiological Considerations. In: Cox, P.H. (eds) Cholescintigraphy. Developments in Nuclear Medicine, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-8325-0_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-8325-0_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

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