Colour Doppler ultrasound patterns and clinical follow-up of incidentally found hypoechoic, vascular tumours of the spleen: evidence for a benign tumour.
Between January 1990 and January 2005, incidental hypoechoic, vascular tumours of the spleen were identified in 13 patients using B-mode and colour Doppler ultrasound (CDS). All lesions found were well demarcated, intrasplenically located, and ranged in size between 1 cm and 4 cm. The increased vascular pattern on CDS was confirmed in 9 of the 13 cases by contrast enhanced ultrasound (CES), while two patients showed reduced vascularity on CES. In 10 patients, lesions were confirmed by contrast enhanced CT. Histological examination was performed in three patients with the diagnosis of capillary haemangioma (n = 2) and hamartoma (n = 1). In the remaining cases, ultrasound follow-up was performed (range 4 months to 13 years) and demonstrated no evidence of tumour growth in all but one patient. During a 4 year follow-up, one lesion increased in size from 1.0 cm to 1.5 cm and in the same patient an additional 0.5 cm sized hypoechoic increased vascular lesion was also found. In the spleen a hypoechoic lesion with an increased vascular pattern incidentally found by ultrasound most likely indicates a benign tumour with capillary haemangioma/hamartoma as the most likely diagnosis. However, it should be emphasised that in all cases a careful ultrasound follow-up is warranted.
Medizinische Universitätsklinik, Baldingerstrasse, 35043 Marburg/Lahn, Germany.
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018324:Hemangioma, Capillary / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013154:Spleen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional