Study liver anatomy and function with our medical students test. Engage with detailed multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Prepare effectively for your test!

Multiple Choice

If a tumor affects the right lobe, which portal vein is compromised?

The liver receives its nutrient-rich blood mainly through the portal vein, which divides inside the porta hepatis into right and left branches. Each branch feeds its corresponding lobe: the right portal vein supplies the right lobe, while the left portal vein supplies the left lobe. So, if a tumor affects the right lobe, the vessel carrying portal blood to that lobe—the right portal vein—would be the one compromised. The hepatic artery is a separate, oxygen-rich arterial supply to the liver, and the inferior vena cava carries blood away from the liver, not into it.

The liver receives its nutrient-rich blood mainly through the portal vein, which divides inside the porta hepatis into right and left branches. Each branch feeds its corresponding lobe: the right portal vein supplies the right lobe, while the left portal vein supplies the left lobe. So, if a tumor affects the right lobe, the vessel carrying portal blood to that lobe—the right portal vein—would be the one compromised. The hepatic artery is a separate, oxygen-rich arterial supply to the liver, and the inferior vena cava carries blood away from the liver, not into it.