title: Multi-modality imaging findings of splenic hamartoma: a report of nine cases and review of the literature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the presentation of splenic hamartomas (SHs) on ultrasonography (US), CT and MRI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine patients (5 males and 4 females, mean age, 52.8 years) with pathologically proven SHs were included in this study. US, CT and MRI images were analyzed retrospectively, and imaging features were correlated with pathological findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SHs appeared solitary lesion (n = 8) and multiple lesions (n = 1) in the present study. (1) In 8 cases of solitary lesion, the lesions appeared as solid nodules or masses with well-defined margins and varying echogenicity (hyperecho = 5, hypoecho = 2, strong echo = 1) on ultrasound. The lesions showed iso-attenuation (n = 3) or slightly hypo-attenuation (n = 4) on unenhanced CT, and calcification were revealed in 3 lesions. MRI showed isointensity (n = 3) or hypointensity (n = 2) on the T1-weighted image, and heterogeneous hypointensity (n = 2), slightly hyperintensity (n = 2) and hyperintensity (n = 1) on the T2-weighted image. The enhanced patterns of SHs showed mild diffuse heterogeneous enhancement (n = 6) and prominent enhancement (n = 1) during arterial phase and above 7 lesions were demonstrated progressive enhancement at delayed phase on enhanced CT. One lesion without any enhancement was revealed in another patient. (2) One case of multiple lesions included 1 cystic lesion with irregular calcification and 7 solid lesions with progressive enhancement on CT images.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combination of a variety of imaging modalities could more fully reflect the pathological characteristics and contribute to the diagnosis of SH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, 315010, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Jian-hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-long
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Fang-yuan
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Chang-jing
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Jian-ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Zhi-feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA