SONOGRAPHIC MEASUREMENT OF NORMAL SPLEEN, LIVER AND
KIDNEY IN HEALTHY PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS IN KAMPALA
DISTRICT, UGANDA
BY
DR. OKELLO-OMARA RICHARD
(M.B.Ch.B-MUK)
[E-mail: richard_o_omara@yahoo.com]
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE
AWARD OF DEGREE OF MASTER OF MEDICINE IN RADIOLOGY OF
MAKERERE UNIVERSITY
SUPERVISORS: 1. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ELSIE KIGULI-MALWADDE
DEPARTMENT OF RADIOLOGY
MAKERERE UNIVERSITY
2. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR MICHAEL KAWOOYA
DEPARTMENT OF RADIOLOGY
MAKERERE UNIVERSITY
©
2007
ABSTRACT
Introduction
The liver, spleen and kidneys are commonly affected by disease which may cause
enlargement or reduction in size as well as other changes.
Knowledge of the normal measurements of these organs is therefore very important in
detecting alteration in the size of these organs that may be due to disease. Clinical
assessment of their size is subjective with considerable interobserver and intraobserver
errors.
Ultrasound (US) scan is an established quick, non-invasive, inexpensive, widely available
and reliable method for evaluation of liver, spleen and kidney sizes.
The purpose of this study was to determine the normal range of ultrasound measurements
for the spleen, liver and kidney in healthy primary school pupils aged 6 to 15 years in
Kampala district, Uganda.
Objectives
The aim of the study was to determine the normal spleen, liver and kidney measurements
by ultrasound, in healthy primary school pupils in Kampala district, Uganda.
Methodology
Two hundred and thirty eight randomly selected healthy pupils were studied. Their
heights and weights were measured. They were then examined by abdominal ultrasound
scan and their liver, spleen and kidney lengths as well as transverse diameters for kidneys
and transverse widths for spleen were measured. The data was collected using well
labelled data sheets. The data was entered into the computer using EPI-INFO and
analysed by SPSS version 11 with the assistance of a statistician. The scatterplots were
drawn using STATA programme, version 9.
Study setting and design
This was a cross-sectional study conducted in five universal primary education (UPE)
schools in Kampala district Uganda, between June 2006 and November 2006.
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Results
A total of two hundred and thirty eight pupils were recruited and studied. The age range
was 6 to 15 years. One hundred and twenty eight pupils were girls and one hundred and
ten were boys. Only three pupils (all girls) were 15 years old.
The lengths of the three organs showed the best correlation with age, height and body
weight, with weight showing the greatest correlation of all except for the spleen where
height showed the greatest correlation of all.
The measurements compare favorably with those in previous studies.
Conclusion
Knowledge of the normal limits of the liver, spleen and kidneys in healthy children is
important during sonographic measurement of their size. The study demonstrated that the
lengths of the liver and kidneys showed the best correlation with body weight while that
of the spleen showed the best correlation with height. The measurements of liver, spleen
and kidney were not statistically different in boys and girls except for the spleen where
the mean length was longer in boys than in girls who were 6-11 years of age.
The lengths of these organs should be correlated with the body parameters, preferably
weight or height where age is not known. The presented data may be used in daily routine
sonography in the Ugandan population.
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