Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40617987›Full record

ArticleJournal of ultrasound2025

Turning the tide (and the probe)-sonographic liver measurement in the right lateral anterior axillary line is a reliable alternative to the standard frontal approach in term and preterm infants.

Alexandros Rahn, Thomas Müller, Svea Kleiner, Doris Franke

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Article in Journal of ultrasound, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Alexandros RahnDepartment of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. rahn.alexandros@mh-hannover.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0003-9227-7938
Thomas MüllerDepartment of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
Svea Kleiner *Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Pediatric Intensive Care, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
Doris Franke *Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeIn term and preterm infants, liver size is important for assessing growth and detecting conditions such as hepatomegaly, infections, or cardiac failure. The German Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (DEGUM) recommends measuring craniocaudal liver length in two frontal planes: the midsternal line (MSL) and the right anterior axillary line (AAL). This study evaluated whether liver length measurements in the right AAL from a lateral view yield results comparable to the standard frontal view, as the lateral approach may be technically more accessible and less stressful for neonates. MATERIAL AND

methodsIn this prospective single-center study conducted in a level III neonatal intensive care unit, 62 term and preterm infants underwent 107 liver measurements between July and December 2024. Each measurement was performed in both the frontal and the alternative lateral AAL plane. Statistical analysis included Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, and Bland-Altman analysis.

resultsThe median liver length was 4.7 cm in both methods (interquartile range 1.5 cm frontal, 1.4 cm lateral). The correlation between approaches was excellent (r = 0.9971), and Bland-Altman analysis showed a median difference of 0 cm, with 99.1% of measurements within the limits of agreement (- 0.3 cm to 0.2 cm).

conclusionSonographic liver measurement in the lateral AAL yields results equivalent to the standard frontal method and may offer a practical alternative when standard access is limited. Supporting minimal handling of newborns, the approach is particularly relevant in neonatal intensive care and provides a methodological basis for further evaluation of the lateral view.

Indexed as

LiverAxillaFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornInfant, PrematureMaleOrgan SizeProspective StudiesReproducibility of ResultsUltrasonographyAnterior axillary lineLiver length measurementNeonatal ultrasoundPreterm infants

Identifiers

PMID40617987
PMCPMC12496367

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