Overview
An enlarged liver is one that’s bigger than normal. The medical term is hep8xatom8xega8xly.
Rather than a disease, an enlarged liver is a sign of an underlying problem, such as liver disease, congestive heart failure or cancer. Treatment is performed by identifying and controlling the cause of the condition.
Symptoms of enlarged liver
An enlarged liver might not cause symptoms.
When enlarged liver results from liver disease, it might be accompanied by:
- Abdominal pain
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jau8xnd8xic8xe)
When do you need to see a doctor?
Make an appointment with a doctor if you have symptoms that worry you.
What cause the liver to enlarge?
The liver is a large organ in the upper right portion of your abdomen. The size of the liver varies with age, sex and body size. Many conditions can cause the liver to enlarge, including:
Liver diseases
- Cirrhosis
- Hepatitis caused by a virus — including hepatitis A, B and C — or caused by infectious mononucleosis
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
- Alcoholic fatty liver disease
- A disorder that causes abnormal protein to accumulate in your liver (amyloidosis)
- A genetic disorder that causes copper to accumulate in your liver (Wilson’s disease)
- A disorder that causes iron to accumulate in your liver (hemachromatosis)
- A disorder that causes fatty substances to accumulate in your liver (Gaucher’s disease)
- Fluid-filled pockets in the liver (liver cysts)
- Noncancerous liver tumors, including hemangioma and adenoma
- Obstruction of the gallbladder or bile ducts
- Toxic hepatitis
Cancer disease
- Cancer that begins in another part of the body and spreads to the liver
- Leukemia
- Liver cancer
- Lymphoma
Heart and blood vessel problems
- Blockage of the veins that drain the liver (Budd-Chiari syndrome)
- Heart failure
- Inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart (pericarditis)
Risk factors
You’re more likely to develop an enlarged liver if you have a liver disease. Factors that can increase your risk of liver problems include:
- Excessive alcohol use. Drinking large amounts of alcohol can be damaging to your liver.
- Large doses of medicines, vitamins or dietary supplements. Taking larger than recommended doses of vitamins, dietary supplements, or over-the-counter or prescription medicines can increase risk of liver damage.
Acetaminophen overdose is the most common cause of acute liver failure in our country. Besides being the ingredient in over-the-counter pain relievers such as Tylenol, acetaminophen is in more than 600 medications, both over-the-counter and prescription.
Beware of what’s in the medications you take. Read labels. Look for “acetaminophen,” “acetam” or “APAP.” Check with your doctor if you’re not sure what’s too much.
- Herbal supplements. Certain supplements, including black cohosh, ma huang and valerian, can increase your risk of liver damage.
- Infections. Infectious diseases, viral, bacterial or parasitic, can increase your risk of liver damage.
- Hepatitis viruses. Hepatitis A, B and C can cause liver damage.
- Poor eating habits. Being overweight increases your risk of liver disease, as does eating unhealthy foods, such as those with excess fat or sugar.
Prevention of liver disease
To reduce your risk of liver disease, you can:
- Eat a healthy diet. Choose a diet full of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
- Drink alcohol in moderation. Check with your doctor to find out what’s the right amount of alcohol for you.
- Follow directions when taking medications, vitamins or dietary supplements.
- Limit contact with chemicals. Use aerosol cleaners, insecticides and other toxic chemicals only in well-ventilated areas. Wear gloves, long sleeves and a mask.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Eat a balanced diet and limit foods that are high in sugar and fat. If you’re overweight, ask your doctor or a nutritionist about the best way for you to lose weight.
- Quit smoking tobacco. Ask your doctor about strategies to help you quit smoking tobacco.
- Use dietary supplements with caution. Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of herbal supplements before you take them. Some alternative medicine treatments can harm your liver.
Herbs and dietary supplements to avoid include black cohosh, ma huang and other Chinese herbs, comfrey, germander, greater celandine, kava, pennyroyal, skullcap, and valerian.
Diagnosis of enlarged liver
Your doctor might start by feeling your abdomen during a physical exam to determine liver size, shape and texture. However this action might not be enough to diagnose an enlarged liver.
Additional procedures to diagnose
If your doctor suspects you have an enlarged liver, the doctor might recommend other tests and procedures, including:
- Blood tests. A blood sample is tested to determine liver enzyme levels and identify viruses that can cause enlarged liver.
- Imaging tests. Imaging tests include CT scan, ultrasound or MRI.
- Magnetic resonance elastography uses sound waves to create a visual map (elastogram) of the stiffness of liver tissue. This noninvasive test can be an alternative to a liver biopsy.
- Collecting sample of liver tissue for testing (liver biopsy). A liver biopsy is often done using a long, thin needle that’s inserted through your skin and into your liver. The needle draws out a core of tissue that is then sent to a laboratory for testing.
Treatment of enlarged liver
Treatment for enlarged liver is treating the condition that’s causing it.
Preparing for an appointment with a doctor
You’re likely to start by seeing your primary care doctor. If your doctor suspects you have an enlarged liver, the doctor might refer you to the appropriate specialist after testing to determine the cause.
If you have a liver disease, you might be referred to a specialist in liver problems (hepatologist).
Here’s information to help you get ready for your appointment.
What you can do to prepare
When you make the appointment, ask whether there’s anything you need to do in advance, such as fasting before having a specific test. Make a list of:
- Your symptoms, including symptoms that seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment and when the symptoms began
- A list of all medications, vitamins or dietary supplements you take, including doses
- Questions to ask your doctor
Take a family member or a friend along with you to help you remember the information you’re given.
For enlarged liver some questions to ask your doctor include:
- What’s likely causing my symptoms?
- What tests do I need?
- Is my condition likely temporary or long lasting?
- What are the alternative methods to the primary treatment method you’re suggesting?
- Are there restrictions I need to follow?
