Clinical Research
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2005. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 14, 2005; 11(26): 4061-4066
Published online Jul 14, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i26.4061
Ultrasonography of splenic abnormalities
Ming-Jen Chen, Ming-Jer Huang, Wen-Hsiung Chang, Tsang-En Wang, Horng-Yuan Wang, Cheng-Hsin Chu, Shee-Chan Lin, Shou-Chuan Shih
Ming-Jen Chen, Wen-Hsiung Chang, Tsang-En Wang, Horng-Yuan Wang, Cheng-Hsin Chu, Shee-Chan Lin, Shou-Chuan Shih, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Ming-Jer Huang, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Shou-Chuan Shih, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, No. 92, Sec. 2, Chungshan North Road, Taipei, Taiwan, China. jessierc@ms28.hinet.net
Telephone: +886-2-25433535-2260 Fax: +886-2-25433642
Received: October 12, 2004
Revised: November 14, 2004
Accepted: November 19, 2004
Published online: July 14, 2005
Abstract

AIM: This report gives a comprehensive overview of ultrasonography of splenic abnormalities. Certain ultrasonic features are also discussed with pathologic correlation.

METHODS: We review the typical ultrasonic characteristics of a wide range of splenic lesions, illustrating them with images obtained in our institution from 2000 to 2003. One hundred and three patients (47 men, 56 women), with a mean age of 54 years (range 9-92 years), were found to have an abnormal ultrasonic pattern of spleen.

RESULTS: We describe the ultrasonic features of various splenic lesions such as accessory spleen, splenomegaly, cysts, cavernous hemangiomas, lymphomas, abscesses, metastatic tumors, splenic infarctions, hematomas, and rupture, based on traditional gray-scale and color Doppler sonography.

CONCLUSION: Ultrasound is a widely available, noninvasive, and useful means of diagnosing splenic abnormalities. A combination of ultrasonic characteristics and clinical data may provide an accurate diagnosis. If the US appearance alone is not enough, US may also be used to guide biopsy of suspicious lesions.

Keywords: Ultrasonography; Ultrasound; Splenic abnormalities; Spleen