What is the hepatorenal pouch also called?

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

What is the hepatorenal pouch also called?

The space between the liver and the right kidney is the hepatorenal pouch, and the classic name for this recess is Morrison’s pouch. It’s the most gravity-dependent intraperitoneal space when you’re supine, so fluid—like blood or ascites—tends to collect there first. That’s why Morrison’s pouch is a key landmark in imaging and trauma exams. Pouch of Luschka refers to tiny bile ducts near the gallbladder bed, not a hepatorenal recess, so it’s not the correct label for this space. The hepatic-renal recess is simply another way some texts describe the same region, but Morrison’s pouch is the standard eponym most clinicians use.

The space between the liver and the right kidney is the hepatorenal pouch, and the classic name for this recess is Morrison’s pouch. It’s the most gravity-dependent intraperitoneal space when you’re supine, so fluid—like blood or ascites—tends to collect there first. That’s why Morrison’s pouch is a key landmark in imaging and trauma exams.

Pouch of Luschka refers to tiny bile ducts near the gallbladder bed, not a hepatorenal recess, so it’s not the correct label for this space. The hepatic-renal recess is simply another way some texts describe the same region, but Morrison’s pouch is the standard eponym most clinicians use.

More practice questions