Posterior right subhepatic space
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Balaji Vasu had no recorded disclosures.
View Balaji Vasu's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Yoshi Yu had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Yoshi Yu's current disclosures- Subhepatic recess
- Morison pouch
- Hepatorenal pouch
- Morison's pouch
- Hepatorenal fossa
- Hepatorenal recess
The posterior right subhepatic space (also known as the hepatorenal fossa or Morison pouch) separates the liver from the right kidney. It is a potential space that is not filled with any fluid in normal conditions.
On this page:
Gross anatomy
The posterior right subhepatic space is a subcompartment of the supramesocolic space and is separated from the anterior right subhepatic space by the transverse mesocolon.
Boundaries
- anterior: right hepatic lobe and gallbladder
- posterior: superior aspect right kidney; right adrenal gland; second part of the duodenum; hepatic flexure; pancreatic head
- inferior: transverse mesocolon
- superior: closed by the inferior layer of the coronary ligament and the right triangular ligament
Communications
The posterior right subhepatic space communicates with the right subphrenic space and right paracolic gutter. The posterior right subhepatic space communicates with the lesser sac via the epiploic foramen (foramen of Winslow).
History and etymology
Named by James Rutherford Morison (1843-1939), British surgeon 4.
Related pathology
Fluid (e.g. ascites or hemoperitoneum) accumulates here as it is one of the lowest dependent spaces in the peritoneal cavity. It is also a preferential site for metastases and abscesses.
References
- 1. Buttler P. Applied radiological anatomy. Cambridge University Press. (1999) ISBN:0521481104. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Brant WE, Helms C. Fundamentals of Diagnostic Radiology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (2012) ISBN:1608319113. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Tirkes T, Sandrasegaran K, Patel AA et-al. Peritoneal and retroperitoneal anatomy and its relevance for cross-sectional imaging. Radiographics. 2012;32 (2): 437-51. doi:10.1148/rg.322115032 - Pubmed citation
- 4. Stuart Currie, Steven Kennish, Karen Flood. Essential Radiological Anatomy for the MRCS. ISBN: 9780521728089
Incoming Links
- Ascites
- Dropped appendicolith
- Right subphrenic space
- Ruptured ovarian cyst
- Retained gallstone
- Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) scan
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Anterior right subhepatic space
- Right supramesocolic space
- Right subhepatic space
- Kidneys
- Supramesocolic space
- Peritoneal spaces
- Doge cap sign (pneumoperitoneum)
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