Hepatic morphology: Variations and its clinical importance

Emergent technologies and advances in the fields of diagnostic radiology and gastroenterology have created a need to better understand the mor-phological features of the liver. Variations in these features are a potential source for diagnostic er-rors, which can lead to costly follow-up testing and detrimental health outcomes. In the present study, the morphological features of human cadaveric liver specimens were evaluated via macroscopic examination and measurements to asses for varia-tions in accessory fissures/sulci, accessory lobes, and the pons hepatis. The study was conducted on 33 specimens obtained from cadavers utilized for routine dissection for first year medical students in the 2016-2017 academic year in the Department of Clinical Anatomy and Embryology at the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. Out of 33 speci-mens, 12 were considered normal without any ac-cessory fissures, lobes, or presence of a pons hepatis. 21 livers had 1 or more morphological var-iations, which included but were not limited to: mul-tiple accessory fissures, Riedel's lobe, and varying degrees of pons hepatis. The study aims to throw greater light to the field of hepatic morphology and its variations.