Hepatomegaly

Causes:

Fluid

• Infection/Inflammation

Acute/Chronic Viral Hepatitis
Autoimmune Hepatitis
Cholangiohepatitis
Liver abscess

• Right sided heart failure

• Budd Chiari Syndrome

Fibrous tissue - early cirrhosis

Cells

• Myeloproliferative disorder
• Leukaemia
• Lymphoma
• Thalassaemia
• HCC
• Metastatic tumor
  

Protein/Glycogen/Fat

• Fatty liver
• Amyloidosis
• Glycogen storage disease

Miscellaneous

• Cysts
• Reidel's lobe
• Low lying diaphragm - COPD

Diagnosis:

Sometimes the diagnosis of underlying aetiology for hepatomegaly is challenging.

Often history provides many clues to the diagnosis. Look for:

• Risk factors for viral hepatitis
• History of autoimmune hepatitis
• Foreign travels
• Thrombophilia for Budd Chiari syndrome
• History of alcohol intake
• Fever, night sweat and weight loss for haematological malignancy