Which is the largest organ in the fetal torso and may show left lobe larger than the right?

Which is the largest organ in the fetal torso and may show left lobe larger than the right?

• A. Liver
• B. Heart
• C. Lungs
• D. Spleen

Answer: (A)

The liver is the largest organ in the fetal torso. It fills a large portion of the abdomen and, in ultrasound, its left lobe can appear larger than the right depending on the fetal position and the imaging plane. This makes the liver the most prominent organ in the fetal torso, more so than the heart, lungs, or spleen. The lungs are still developing and remain relatively small before birth, the heart is a central, powerful structure but not the largest by volume in the fetus, and the spleen is smaller and less likely to dominate the fetal torso. Therefore, recognizing the liver as the largest organ—and noting that its left lobe may look larger on some views—fits with fetal anatomy and ultrasound appearance.

The liver is the largest organ in the fetal torso. It fills a large portion of the abdomen and, in ultrasound, its left lobe can appear larger than the right depending on the fetal position and the imaging plane. This makes the liver the most prominent organ in the fetal torso, more so than the heart, lungs, or spleen. The lungs are still developing and remain relatively small before birth, the heart is a central, powerful structure but not the largest by volume in the fetus, and the spleen is smaller and less likely to dominate the fetal torso. Therefore, recognizing the liver as the largest organ—and noting that its left lobe may look larger on some views—fits with fetal anatomy and ultrasound appearance.