1050 THE ORGANS OF DIGESTION. 



the anterior layer of the lesser omentum. Here it meets another tuber omentale 

 coming upward and forward from the pancreas. 



The under surface of the right lobe has a middle piece cut off from it by the 

 fossa for the gall-bladder, fossa vesicalis. This forms a quadrate or anterior lobe 

 which is just above the pyloric end of the stomach and the superior curvature 

 of the duodenum. To the right of the quadrate lobe and gall-bladder, the under 

 surface of the right lobe shows two marked concavities separated by a ridge. The 

 anterior concavity is made by the hepatic flexure of the colon, impressio colica ; 

 we have seen how this ascends in front of the right kidney, so posteriorly the 

 next concavity is the impressio renalis. 



At the inner border of the renal impression is another for the second part of 

 the duodenum, impressio duodenalis ; this lies outside the neck of the gall-bladder 

 and is limited internally by the cystic duct. The superior curve of the duodenum 

 crosses the neck of the gall-bladder or even the transverse fissure, and comes 

 under the caudate lobe. The pyloric end of the stomach touches the quadrate 

 lobe, starting from its anterior border. Sometimes there is an impressio pylorica. 



The impression for the right suprarenal capsule is farther back than the 

 impressio renalis and close to the inferior vena cava. Its basal part rests upon 

 the under surface of the liver at the posterior tip of the renal impression. This 

 part of the impression is covered by peritoneum. Its apex extends up on the 

 posterior surface of the liver just to the right of the vena cava. This part of 

 its impression is not covered by peritoneum. So the impressio suprarenalis has 

 two parts, one covered with peritoneum on the inferior surface of the liver and 

 one uncovered by peritoneum on the posterior surface. 



Just anterior to the vena cava is a narrow area of liver tissue connecting the 

 right lower corner of the Spigelian lobe to the under surface of the right lobe. 

 It is the tuberculum caudatum, not always big enough to be called the caudate 

 lobe (cauda, tail). This lies above the foramen of Winslow. 



The posterior surface is rounded and broad behind the right lobe, but narrow 

 on the left. To the right is not covered by peritoneum for a space about three 

 inches broad and two inches high. This is in direct contact with the diaphragm 

 and posterior abdominal wall, and is marked off from the upper surface by the 

 line of reflection of the peritoneum from the diaphragm to the liver. This part 

 constitutes the anteriofr layer of the coronary and right lateral ligaments. It is 

 marked off from the under surface of the liver by a similar line of reflected peri- 

 toneum from the posterior part of the diaphragm to the liver, which here forms 

 the inferior or posterior layer of the coronary and right lateral ligaments. A 

 small peritoneal area exists on the posterior surface to the right of the rough 

 area. 



At the lower and inner part of this rough surface is the non-peritoneal part 

 of the impressio suprarenalis. The inner border of the surface projects over the 

 vena cava, and not rarely encloses it in a canal of liver tissue. The centre of 

 the posterior surface is deeply grooved for the vertebral column and aorta. 



The lobe so grooved is the Spigelian ; it rests against the tenth and eleventh 

 dorsal vertebrae, the aorta and crura of the diaphragm, but upon the right crus 

 more than the left. The right crus grooves it from the right lower corner to the 

 left upper corner; here also is the oesophagus. The end of the thoracic aorta 

 lies behind the left lower corner separated by the diaphragm. To its right is the 

 fossa or canal for the inferior vena cava ; to its left is the furrow for the obliterated 

 remains of the ductus venosus Arantii. In foetal life this duct establishes com- 

 munication between the vena umbilicalis and vena cava inferior. Still farther to 

 the left of this is a groove for the oesophagus and beginning of the cardia. 



The free surface of the Spigelian lobe looks backward, is nearly vertical, and 

 is concave from side to side. Its superior border slopes toward the upper surface 

 of the liver, but is separated from it by a double layer of peritoneum. Below, its 

 inferior margin shows a slight notch separating a right part, which joins the cau- 

 date tubercle or lobe, and a left part called papillary tubercle, tuber papiUare. 



