The Spleen
BACKGROUND Print Section Listen The spleen was regarded by Galen as “an organ of mystery,” by Aristotle as unnecessary, and by Pliny as an organ that might hinder the speed…
Treatment of Hepatic Metastasis
OVERVIEW Print Section Listen Hepatic metastases to the liver are significantly more common than primary liver malignancy and comprise approximately 90% of hepatic malignancies. Each year, approximately 140,000 new cases…
Portal Hypertension
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Portal hypertension (PHTN) can occur in cirrhotic and noncirrhotic patients and can be classified as presinusoidal or prehepatic (extrahepatic or intrahepatic), sinusoidal or hepatic, or post-sinusoidal…
Choledochal Cyst and Benign Biliary Strictures
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Benign conditions of the intrahepatic or extrahepatic bile ducts can range from focal or diffuse dilatations (choledochal cyst) to obstructive strictures of the biliary tree. Historically,…
Benign Liver Neoplasms
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Benign liver neoplasms encompass a variety of liver lesions, each with distinct pathologic, radiographic, and molecular characteristics. These include hemangioma, focal nodular hyperplasia, hepatocellular adenoma, and…
Cystic Neoplasms of the Pancreas
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen The collective phrase “cystic lesions of the pancreas,” typically described on cross-sectional imaging of the abdomen, refers to any cystic neoplasms of the pancreas and/or other…
Complications Of Acute Pancreatitis
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen A third of all patients with acute pancreatitis develop complications, and a quarter of those patients will not survive, but recovery is now expected for the…
Adrenal Anatomy and Physiology
ANATOMY Print Section Listen The adrenal glands are paired retroperitoneal organs superomedial to the kidneys at the level of the 12th rib. They are surrounded by loosely attached fat posteriorly…
Malignant Liver Neoplasms
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen In 2018, primary liver tumors will be diagnosed in approximately 42,220 new patients in the United States, and approximately 30,200 individuals will die from this disease.1…
Chronic Pancreatitis
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Chronic pancreatitis is an inflammatory and fibrosing disease of the exocrine pancreas characterized by irreversible morphological changes and permanent loss of function. The incidence of chronic…
