A patient with longstanding COPD was told by another practitioner that his liver was enlarged and this needed to be assessed. Which of the following would be reasonable to do next?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In this patient, measuring the span of the liver saved the patient an involved workup, because it was normal. His history of COPD is consistent with flattening of the diaphragms, which pushed the liver edge down while the actual size of the liver remained the same. Percussing the lower border of the liver alone caused this referral, because it was assumed that the liver was enlarged.

A Patient with Longstanding COPD Was Told by Another Practitioner