Liver enlargement: what does it signal? What diseases cause it?

Liver enlargement (technically also hepatomegaly), unlike liver shrinkage, can be seen externally by touch. Under normal circumstances, the liver cannot be felt. Alternatively, only the lower edge of the liver under the right rib can be felt.

The enlargement of this organ is related to a disease process. But the liver itself is a very important metabolic organ in the body. The liver stores animal starch, glycogen. It serves as an energy store when food is not taken in.

Obesity and alcoholism

An enlarged liver is associated with many diseases. For example, obesity, where there is excessive food intake and therefore fat deposition in the liver and liver tissue.

In addition to obesity, fatty liver (steatosis) is also related to alcoholism, where enlargement occurs due to a metabolic disorder. In the cells of the liver, fats, fatty acids are deposited.

Cirrhosis of the liver

Excessive intake of alcohol can also be behind the liver problem due to which cirrhosis occurs. In cirrhosis, the liver cells get damaged. These are subsequently replaced by non-functioning tissue.

Cirrhosis is a chronic process of the original cells dying and being replaced by connective tissue. The liver is rebuilt and enlarged. Naturally, there is also a gradual failure of function.

Hepatitis

It is actually an inflammatory disease of the liver. It is divided into several types. It is also known as jaundice because of its typical yellow colouration of the skin, which is due to the malfunction of the liver. In addition to the skin, the whites of the eyes also turn yellow.

Bilirubin is actually the end product of the breakdown of red blood cells, a red dye. In addition to this, other waste products of metabolism accumulate in the body.

We divide it into:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• Hepatitis D
• Hepatitis E
• Hepatitis G

In addition to infectious hepatitis, toxic inflammation of the liver tissue can occur. It is caused by the toxic effect of various substances. Such as alcohol, drugs, chemicals, various poisons.

Portal hypertension and hepatomegaly

Problems with the liver can be related to diseases of the cardiovascular system, such as in the case of insufficient heart function. Weakened right ventricular function results in an increase in blood volume in the inferior vena cava. As a consequence, there is also an increase in pressure in the portal circulation.

There are several blood vessels that run through the liver and supply important organs of the digestive system, such as the pancreas and stomach. If there is a problem in the blood circulation, blood accumulates in the liver.

This build-up gradually causes them to enlarge. Portal hypertension is most often the result of liver cirrhosis. It can also be caused by a tumour of the liver, gallbladder or even a blood clot in the portal vein.

Other causes of liver enlargement

But it is not only in liver diseases that liver enlargement can occur. For example, enlargement of the liver and spleen also occurs in diseases of the lymphatic system, such as Hodgkin's lymphoma, which particularly affects young people.

Several other infectious diseases or blood diseases also affect the size of the liver, such as typhoid fever. People with this infection experience enlargement not only of the liver but also of the spleen. However, this is not true for every patient with this disease.

Often both the liver and spleen are enlarged in infectious mononucleosis. This is a viral disease accompanied mainly by severe fatigue and enlargement of the lymph nodes in the armpits and neck. It is therefore not a characteristic symptom of the disease.

Cytomegalovirus infection is one of the causes. This is actually an infection with the herpes virus. It is transmitted by body fluids. More than 95% of the initial infection is asymptomatic.

Liver enlargement in children can also be one of the symptoms of a hereditary disease called cystic fibrosis. This is a very serious and, despite great advances in science, so far incurable disease.

The liver can also be affected by multiple myeloma, a cancer caused by an increase in the number of plasma cells and their accumulation in the bone marrow. Liver enlargement can also be an atypical symptom of the disease.

Liver enlargement can also occur, for example, in leukaemia. If cancer cells get into an internal organ, such as the liver, they can also cause a tumour in the liver.

Liver enlargement is also present in haemochromatosis. This is a disease caused by excessive deposition of iron in the tissues in the form of haemosiderin and ferritin. These tissues are damaged as a result and there is also increased absorption of iron into the blood.