Liver Flashcards

Study liver anatomy through its lobes, surfaces, peritoneal attachments, vascular supply, biliary drainage, and segmental organization.

Card 1 of 30Question

In which abdominal region is most of the liver located?

The right hypochondriac region, extending into the epigastric and left hypochondriac regions.

In This Section

1. In which abdominal region is most of the liver located?

The right hypochondriac region, extending into the epigastric and left hypochondriac regions.

2. What are the two principal anatomical surfaces of the liver?

The diaphragmatic surface and the visceral surface.

3. Which four anatomical lobes are traditionally described in the liver?

Right, left, caudate, and quadrate lobes.

4. Which peritoneal fold separates the right and left anatomical lobes on the diaphragmatic surface?

The falciform ligament.

5. What structure occupies the free inferior edge of the falciform ligament?

The ligamentum teres hepatis, the remnant of the fetal left umbilical vein.

6. What fetal vascular structure gives rise to the ligamentum venosum?

The ductus venosus.

7. Which peritoneal reflection attaches the liver to the diaphragm and encloses the bare area?

The coronary ligament, formed by superior and inferior peritoneal reflections.

8. What is the bare area of the liver?

A region on the posterior diaphragmatic surface that lacks peritoneal covering and contacts the diaphragm.

9. Which two structures form the lesser omentum connecting the liver to the stomach and duodenum?

The hepatogastric and hepatoduodenal ligaments.

10. What is the porta hepatis?

A transverse fissure on the visceral surface through which major vessels, hepatic ducts, nerves, and lymphatics pass.

11. Which three major structures form the portal triad?

A branch of the portal vein, a branch of the hepatic artery, and a bile duct.

12. What are the two major sources of blood entering the liver?

The hepatic portal vein and the hepatic artery proper.

13. What type of blood does the hepatic portal vein deliver to the liver?

Nutrient-rich venous blood from the gastrointestinal tract and associated abdominal organs.

14. From which artery does the hepatic artery proper usually arise?

The common hepatic artery, a branch of the celiac trunk.

15. Which veins drain blood from the liver into the inferior vena cava?

The hepatic veins, principally the right, middle, and left hepatic veins.

16. What is Cantlie's line?

An imaginary line from the gallbladder fossa to the inferior vena cava that approximates the functional division of the liver.

17. How many functional hepatic segments are described in the Couinaud classification?

Eight segments, numbered I to VIII.

18. Which Couinaud segment corresponds to the caudate lobe?

Segment I.

19. Which Couinaud segments form the functional left liver, excluding the caudate lobe?

Segments II, III, and IV.

20. Which Couinaud segments form the functional right liver?

Segments V, VI, VII, and VIII.

21. What anatomical structures primarily define the boundaries between hepatic sectors?

The planes of the major hepatic veins.

22. What is the structural and functional microscopic unit traditionally used to describe the liver?

The classical hepatic lobule, typically organized around a central vein.

23. What are hepatic sinusoids?

Specialized discontinuous capillaries that carry mixed portal venous and arterial blood between hepatocyte plates.

24. What are Kupffer cells?

Resident macrophages located primarily within the hepatic sinusoids.

25. What is the space of Disse?

The perisinusoidal space between sinusoidal endothelial cells and hepatocytes.

26. In which direction does bile flow relative to blood within a classical hepatic lobule?

In the opposite direction, toward bile ducts in the portal tracts.

27. Which ducts unite to form the common hepatic duct?

The right and left hepatic ducts.

28. Which part of the hepatic acinus is most vulnerable to ischemic injury?

Zone 3, the centrilobular region farthest from the incoming oxygenated blood.

29. Which autonomic nerve plexus supplies the liver?

The hepatic plexus, containing sympathetic fibers and parasympathetic fibers from the vagus nerves.

30. Why is the liver's segmental anatomy important in hepatic surgery?

Each segment has relatively independent portal inflow and biliary drainage, allowing anatomically targeted resection.