title: Accessory spleen presenting as a mass in the tail of the pancreas.
abstract: In this case report, we describe an accessory spleen that presented as a mass in the tail of the pancreas and mimicked a neoplasm. Intrapancreatic accessory spleen have a relatively high prevalence and can be mistaken for tumors. We present a case of intrapancreatic accessory spleen in a 40-year-old man, which was discovered incidentally during a workup for an aortic dissection. Computerized axial tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans demonstrated a hypervascular mass in the tail of the pancreas. The clinical and radiological differential diagnosis included pancreatic mucinous cystic neoplasm, pancreatic endocrine neoplasm, solid pseudopapillary tumor, ductal adenocarcinoma, and metastasis. After a distal pancreatectomy was completed, microscopic examination revealed heterotopic splenic tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tozbikian
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bloomston
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: E Christopher
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Ellison
authors.forename: Wendy L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Frankel
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D002828:Choristoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary; D013154:Spleen; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed