Beaver tail liver: an anatomical variant

Abstract

Beaver tail liver, is a rare anatomical variation in which the left hepatic lobe extends laterally to encircle the spleen. This variant is typically asymptomatic and is often discovered incidentally during abdominal imaging. While it does not impair liver function, it presents diagnostic challenges and potential clinical implications, including misinterpretation as a splenic mass or hematoma. We report the case of a 20-year-old female who presented to the emergency department with a high-grade fever, headache, right-sided limb weakness, and aphasia. Imaging studies revealed subdural empyema with pachymeningitis. A contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen was performed to investigate potential extrapulmonary tuberculosis and incidentally identified an elongated left hepatic lobe encircling the anterior border of the spleen, confirming a diagnosis of beaver tail liver. This case highlights the importance of recognizing beaver tail liver as a benign anatomical variant to avoid unnecessary interventions. Awareness of its implications in trauma assessment, surgery, and transplantation is essential for optimal patient management.