title: Sonographic evaluation of spleen size in tall healthy athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to establish the range of spleen sizes in tall healthy athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sonographic measurements of spleen size and left renal length were performed on 129 college athletes (82 men, 47 women). Length, width, and thickness of the spleen and left renal length were obtained. In addition, the height, weight, and age of each athlete were recorded. Pearson's product moment correlation coefficients were calculated, and linear regression analysis was used to create a model for calculating normative values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean body height for men was 74.3 (189 cm) +/-(SD) 3.7 inches (9 cm) and for women was 69.3 (176 cm) +/- 3.7 inches (9 cm). Spleen length was greater than 12 cm in 31.7% of the men (mean spleen length, 11.4 +/- 1.7 cm) and in 12.8% of the women (mean spleen length, 10.3 +/- 1.3 cm). In women, height correlated with spleen length (r = 0.3, p = 0.05), width (r = 0.4, p = 0.01), and volume (r = 0.3, p = 0.02) but not with thickness (r = 0.08, p = 0.6). Spleen length did correlate with left renal length (r = 0.5, p = 0.0005). In men, height correlated with spleen length (r = 0.4, p = 0.0003), width (r = 0.5, p = 0.0001), and volume (r = 0.4, p = 0.0002) and less with thickness (r = 0.3, p = 0.01). Spleen length and left renal length were poorly correlated (r = 0.2, p = 0.04). Regression analysis showed that in women taller than 5 ft 6 inches (168 cm), the mean splenic length of 10 cm increased by 0.1 cm for each 1-inch incremental increase in height. In men taller than 6 ft (180 cm), the mean splenic length of 11 cm increased by 0.2 cm for each 1-inch incremental increase in height.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spleen size correlates with height in tall healthy athletes. Nomograms from this data can be used to gauge the risk of returning to play after episodes of acute splenomegaly, as with infectious mononucleosis.
authors.affiliation: Vancouver General Hospital, Department of Radiology, Vancouver Coastal Health, 899 W 12th Ave., Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada.
authors.forename: Audrey L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Spielmann
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: DeLong
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kliewer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D049451:Nomograms; D013154:Spleen / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013177:Sports; D014463:Ultrasonography