Intrapancreatic accessory spleen: evaluation by CT arteriography.
BACKGROUND
Intrapancreatic accessory spleens are frequently confused with primary pancreatic tumors, and differentiation from neoplastic lesions is important to avoid an unnecessary laparotomy. We present three cases of intrapancreatic accessory spleen evaluated by computed tomographic arteriography (CTA) and discuss the characteristic findings.


METHODS
CTA was performed, followed by digital subtraction angiography, with an injection of contrast material through a 4-F catheter placed in the celiac artery. Single-level dynamic CTA was also performed in two patients with a 30-s continuous scan in one breath-hold.


RESULTS
CTA clearly demonstrated early inhomogeneous enhancement of the lesion, similar to the splenic parenchyma. On single-level dynamic CTA, inhomogeneous enhancement of the lesion in the early phase was diminished in the late phase. Multiplanar reformatted images obtained in two cases showed the deep cleft between the lesion and the pancreas, which suggested that the lesion was originally extrapancreatic.


CONCLUSIONS
These two findings on CTA, inhomogeneous enhancement of the lesion and the deep cleft between the lesion and the pancreas, may help to confirm the diagnosis of an intrapancreatic accessory spleen.
Miyayama
S
S
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Fukuiken Saiseikai Hospital, 7-1, Funabashi, Wadanaka-cho, Fukui 918-8503, Japan.
Matsui
O
O
Yamamoto
T
T
Akakura
Y
Y
Nishida
H
H
Yamamori
S
S
Minami
T
T
Kozaka
K
K
Mitsui
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000792:Angiography; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013154:Spleen / Q000002:abnormalities*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed