title: Ultrasonic-pathologic classification of splenic abnormalities: gray-scale patterns.
abstract: In order to more specifically define splenic abnormalities with gray-scale ultrasound, a prospective study was performed involving 40 patients with splenomegaly and/or diseases of the spleen. The following sonographic patterns were found: (a) uniform splenic sonodensity, equal to that of the liver (normal); (b) uniform splenic sonodensity, less than that of the liver (low sonodensity); (c) focal defect, more dense than adjacent spleen (sonodense and sonolucent perisplenic defects. Each pattern was found to be associated with certain pathologic categories, which formed a basis for the ultrasonic-pathologic classification of splenic disease. With the use of these patterns, a more specific diagnosis of splenic abnormalities may be made.
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography