Ultrasonography of splenic abnormalities.
OBJECTIVE
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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Chen
Ming-Jen
MJ
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Mackay Medicine, Nursing and Management College, No. 92 Sec. 2 Chungshan North Road, Taipei, Taiwan, China.
Huang
Ming-Jer
MJ
Chang
Wen-Hsiung
WH
Wang
Tsang-En
TE
Wang
Horng-Yuan
HY
Chu
Cheng-Hsin
CH
Lin
Shee-Chan
SC
Shih
Shou-Chuan
SC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013154:Spleen / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014463:Ultrasonography