title: Littoral cell angioma of the spleen: sonographic-pathologic comparison.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sonographic and pathologic features of littoral cell angioma of the spleen in 7 patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sonographic appearance in 7 cases of littoral cell angioma confirmed by surgical pathologic examination was retrospectively reviewed. All underwent color Doppler imaging. Two underwent contrast-enhanced sonography. The sonographic appearance was compared with pathologic findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Splenic lesions were solitary in 5 cases and multiple in 2 cases. The masses ranged from 10 to 64 mm in maximum diameter. Five hypoechoic and 2 hyperechoic lesions on grayscale sonography corresponded to few and multiple blood-filled spaces on pathologic examination, respectively. Four hypovascular lesions, 1 hypervascular lesion, and the other 2 hypervascular lesions full of color flow signals on color Doppler imaging corresponded to few, several, and multiple arteries on pathologic examination. On contrast-enhanced sonography, 1 hypervascular lesion full of color flow signals showed homogeneous hyperenhancement for 8 minutes during the arterial and parenchymal phases. One hypovascular lesion showed inhomogeneous isoenhancement transiently during the arterial phase and became hypoechoic later.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Littoral cell angioma is a primary vascular splenic neoplasm with variable features on grayscale sonography and color Doppler imaging as well as contrast-enhanced sonography. The sonographic appearance of littoral cell angioma mainly depends on the type and number of tumor vessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yun-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li-Min
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wen-Ping
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Xiu-Nan
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Han-Sheng
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013154:Spleen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013160:Splenic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color