What does hepatomegaly mean?
Hepatomegaly is a medical noun meaning enlargement of the liver. In clinical use, it usually refers to an abnormally enlarged organ detected through physical examination, ultrasound, CT, MRI, or another imaging method. Hepatomegaly is a finding rather than a specific diagnosis: it can accompany liver disease, heart failure, infections, metabolic disorders, blood cancers, and other conditions, so its cause must often be investigated separately. The degree of enlargement may be described as mild, moderate, or marked, and a clinician may note whether the liver is palpable or congested. The term is used in British and American medical English, chiefly in specialist reports and clinical discussions. Knowing the word is useful because it names an important physical sign, but interpreting it accurately requires understanding that an enlarged liver does not by itself identify why the enlargement occurred.
nounEnlargement of the liver, especially when abnormal or clinically significant.
- Enlargement of the liver, especially when abnormal or clinically significant.
"The patient's scan revealed mild hepatomegaly, prompting further investigation."
"Physical examination revealed hepatomegaly extending several centimetres below the costal margin."
"Hepatomegaly was detected on ultrasound and subsequently investigated for an underlying cause."
The plural is uncommon in ordinary discussion but may be used when referring to the finding in multiple patients.
"Ultrasound identified hepatomegalies in both patients."
Hepatomegaly is the liver's distress signal: enlargement can point to trouble in the liver or elsewhere in the body.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hepatomegaly come from?
Hepatomegaly is a modern medical formation combining Greek hēpar, with genitive hēpatos, meaning “liver,” and Greek megalos, meaning “large” or “great.” The liver element is also reflected in English derivatives such as hepatic, hepatitis, and hepatocyte, while the element meaning “great” appears in words such as megalomania. The compound entered medical usage as a term for enlargement of the liver.
Related word forms
How hepatomegaly is actually used
A specialist, chiefly clinical term used in medical reports and discussions. It is not ordinary vocabulary and commonly functions as a finding rather than as a diagnosis in itself.
Easily confused with hepatomegaly
Hepatomegaly is enlargement of the liver, whereas splenomegaly is enlargement of the spleen.