Beaver tail liver

Last revised by Ammar Ashraf ◉ on 31 Dec 2024

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Hacking C, Ranchod A, Alhusseiny K, et al. Beaver tail liver. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 21 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-39318

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-39318

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/39318?embed_domain=hackmd.io%2525252525252F%25252525252540yipuafecsl2jsu8smr5njq%2525252525252Fbnjhjgjghjghjghfavicon.ico

rID:

39318

Article created:

31 Aug 2015, Craig Hacking ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Craig Hacking had no recorded disclosures.

View Craig Hacking's current disclosures

Last revised:

31 Dec 2024, Ammar Ashraf ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Ammar Ashraf had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Ammar Ashraf's current disclosures

Revisions:

32 times, by 20 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Hepatobiliary

Sections:

Anatomy

Tags:

variant, refs

Synonyms:

Sliver of liver

Beaver tail liver, also known as a sliver of liver, is a variant of hepatic morphology where an elongated left liver lobe extends laterally to contact and often surround the anterior aspect of the spleen ².

Beaver tail liver is more common in females. The parenchyma is normal and therefore has the same risks of hepatic pathology as the rest of the liver, except theoretically in trauma, where it is more prone to injury following trauma to the left upper quadrant or lower left chest.

When the liver and spleen have identical density on CT or echogenicity on ultrasound, it may be difficult to differentiate the two organs. Even when they appear different in density or echogenicity, it may be mistaken for perisplenic/subcapsular haematoma or a splenic mass ^2,3.

Differential diagnosis

The beaver tail liver should not be confused with findings such as the “kissing sign” of the liver and spleen observed on imaging studies when these organs contact each other in individuals displaying hepatomegaly and/or splenomegaly ⁴.

Similarly, the beaver tail liver should be distinguished from the “hiding beaver tail liver” variant, where the lateral part of the left liver lobe is medially juxtaposed to the visceral surface of the spleen and assumes an acute angulation with the remainder of the liver ⁵.