Norms of Abdominal Organ and Kidney Sizes in Children by Ultrasound: Age Guidelines
Important: the provided source fragments do not include data from M.I. Pykov's guidelines and tables of organ sizes by height. Below are the norms contained in the available sources (Textbook of Diagnostic Sonography, 9th Ed., 2023; EFSUMB Course Book). Values not confirmed by fragments are marked as [to be clarified].
Liver
According to the Textbook of Diagnostic Sonography (2023): in infants, the right liver lobe should not extend more than 1 cm below the costal margin; in older children, the right lobe should not extend below the right costal margin.
Portal Vein (upper diameter limits)
| Age Group | Portal Vein Diameter |
|---|---|
| Newborns | 3–5 mm |
| Children <10 years | 8.5 mm |
| Children >10 years | 10 mm |
| Adolescents <20 years | 7–13 mm |
Bile Ducts (common bile duct, CBD)
| Age Group | CBD Diameter |
|---|---|
| Newborns | <1 mm |
| Infants (<1 year) | <2 mm |
| Older children (1–10 years) | <4 mm |
| Adolescents | <6 mm |
Gallbladder (length)
| Age Group | Length |
|---|---|
| Infants (<1 year) | 1.5–3 cm |
| Children >1 year | 3–7 cm |
Renal Vessels: Resistive Index (RI)
According to the EFSUMB Course Book (2024): in children, RI values are higher in the first 2 years of life and gradually approach adult values from 2 to 6 years. Threshold RI values should not be used in children under 6 years. For adults, a threshold RI value of 0.70 indicates normal renal vascular resistance (RVR), values above 0.70 indicate increased resistance. Normal acceleration time (AT) is less than 0.07 s; RI and AT do not require angle correction.
Specific age-height norms for kidney, pancreas, and spleen sizes are absent in the provided fragments [to be clarified].
Frequently asked questions
How far can the right liver lobe extend below the costal margin in an infant?
In infants, the right liver lobe should not extend more than 1 cm below the costal margin; in older children, it should not extend below the right costal margin (Textbook of Diagnostic Sonography, 2023).
What is the upper limit of the portal vein diameter in a child under 10 years?
8.5 mm in children under 10 years and 10 mm in children over 10 years (Textbook of Diagnostic Sonography, 2023).
Can threshold RI values be used in children under 6 years?
No. According to the EFSUMB Course Book (2024), threshold RI values should not be used in children under 6 years; RI is higher in the first 2 years of life and approaches adult values by 2–6 years.
What are the normal CBD values in a newborn and an adolescent?
In newborns, the common bile duct is <1 mm, in infants <1 year <2 mm, in children 1–10 years <4 mm, in adolescents <6 mm (Textbook of Diagnostic Sonography, 2023).
Are there norms for kidneys and spleen according to Pykov's methodology in the source?
No. The provided fragments do not contain data according to Pykov's methodology and tables of kidney, pancreas, and spleen sizes by age/height [to be clarified].