title: Correlation between clinical evaluation of liver size versus ultrasonography evaluation according to body mass index (BMI) and biotypes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Body weight may influence liver size.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the correlation between clinical and ultrasound evaluation of the liver size according to body mass index (BMI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of 81 subjects aged 25 ± 6 years (43 females). Two percussion measurements were taken and ultrasonography was performed on the same site demarcated by percussion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean BMI was 23 ± 4 kg/m². Nineteen individuals (23.5%) had a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m². There was a significant difference between the values of liver size obtained by clinical and ultrasound methods. The correlation coefficient between the liver size obtained by clinical and ultrasound methods was 0.419 (p < 0.01). No significant differences in liver size were observed, between subjects with a BMI below or over 25 kg/m². In all subjects, regardless of BMI, there was a statistically significant difference between the mean sizes obtained by both methods. The correlation coefficients between both methods in subjects with a BMI ≤ 25 Kg/m² and their counterparts with higher BMI were 0.47 and 0.03, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are significant differences in liver size obtained by clinical examination and ultrasound. Only in subjects with BMI ≤ 25 kg/m², the correlation between the two techniques is significant.
authors.affiliation: Health Science Master Degree Program, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Brazil. rosemeri.silva@unisul.br
authors.forename: Rosemeri Mauricida da
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Rodrigo Becker
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Marcelo Vasconcelos
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Siqueira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000502:physiology; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods*; D014463:Ultrasonography