Wandering liver: ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis

Abstract

"Wandering liver" describes an excessive mobility of the liver caused by abnormalities of hepatic fixation that could lead to hepatic pedicle torsion or bowel obstruction. It is considered a rare entity, but because of the evolution in medical imaging techniques, this unusual condition is being identified more often. We report 2 cases presenting with chronic vague abdominal pain, diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography and the use of cine-magnetic resonance imaging sequences with dynamic maneuvers. We tried to correlate our ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging findings to peroperative findings and insist on the usefulness of dynamic maneuvers when confronted with atypical symptoms and a normal abdominal ultrasound scan finding.