Lobes of liver

The liver may be divided into lobes and sublobes.

The lobation patterns differ greatly among species (for example, carnivores have more subdivisions that species with a more rigide spine such herbivores).

In carnivores (and referenced in the NAV), the liver has four lobes and four sublobes as well as two processes:

• Right lobe of liver

  • Right lateral lobe of liver

  • Right medial lobe of liver

• Quadrate lobe

• Caudate lobe

  • Papillary process

  • Caudate process

• Left lobe of liver

  • Left lateral lobe of liver

  • Left medial lobe of liver

The liver of the pig resembles that of the dog, but does not have a papillar process. In the horse, the left lobe only is subdivided into medial and lateral lobes, while the right lobe remains undivided. The caudate lobe has a caudate process, but no papillary process. The liver of ruminants has no fissures. It consists of a left and right hepatic lobe, a quadrate lobe and a caudate lobe, the borders of which are defined by virtual lines drawn from anatomical landmarks.