Age related gross changes of the liver and right diaphragm, with special reference to partial eventration.

A total of 38937 6 X 6 cm chest films, made in three series of check-up programmes for local residents above the age for nursery school, were examined for partial eventration of the right dome of the diaphragm in relation to age. It was found that after nursery school age, eventration and irregularity of the right dome increased with age, particularly among women over the age of 60. In a series observed in a rural region, marked eventration was found in more than 1% of the women above 60 years. In another study on 1 332 liver scans in patients without intrinsic liver disease, a prominent, dome-like elevation of the right lobe of the liver was also very frequent among older women. It is concluded that the majority of right-sided eventrations are acquired and may be attributable to dietary and dressing habits.