title: Spleen size in cirrhosis of different etiologies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of cirrhosis etiology on spleen size as measured by sonography and computed tomography (CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  The spleen images of 139 patients with cirrhosis secondary to alcohol abuse, hepatitis C, or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis were reviewed retrospectively. The maximum diagonal spleen length on a single sonogram and maximum spleen diameter on axial, coronal, or sagittal CT, whichever was largest, was compared among the etiologic groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 127 patients who underwent sonography, the mean spleen size ± SD on sonography in the alcohol group (13.1 ± 2.5 cm) was significantly smaller than in the hepatitis C (15.0 ± 3.4 cm) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (15.2 ± 3.0 cm) groups (95% confidence intervals of the mean difference, 0.6 to 3.3 and 0.8 to 3.4 cm, respectively). In 87 patients who underwent CT, the mean spleen size on CT in the alcohol group (14.0 ± 2.7 cm) was smaller than in the hepatitis C (15.9 ± 3.4 cm) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (15.5 ± 3.6 cm) groups, but the difference was not statistically significant. The spleen sizes on both sonography and CT in 79 patients were strongly correlated (r = 0.88; P < .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spleen size in patients with cirrhosis varies by the etiology of the disease. Therefore, to apply spleen size as a diagnostic or prognostic criterion in this context, it is important to recognize that cutoff values derived from spleen size in one etiologic group may not produce the same results when extrapolated to another etiologic group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Riverside County Regional Medical Center, Moreno Valley, California USA (A.K.); Department of Radiology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California USA (B.S., G.A.R.); Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, VA Loma Linda Medical Center, Loma Linda, California USA 92357 (D.A.); Department of Internal Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Redlands, California USA (A.M.K.); and Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, California USA (B.A.R.). samirkashani@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kashani
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Riverside County Regional Medical Center, Moreno Valley, California USA (A.K.); Department of Radiology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California USA (B.S., G.A.R.); Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, VA Loma Linda Medical Center, Loma Linda, California USA 92357 (D.A.); Department of Internal Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Redlands, California USA (A.M.K.); and Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, California USA (B.A.R.).
authors.forename: Banafsheh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Riverside County Regional Medical Center, Moreno Valley, California USA (A.K.); Department of Radiology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California USA (B.S., G.A.R.); Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, VA Loma Linda Medical Center, Loma Linda, California USA 92357 (D.A.); Department of Internal Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Redlands, California USA (A.M.K.); and Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, California USA (B.A.R.).
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anghesom
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Riverside County Regional Medical Center, Moreno Valley, California USA (A.K.); Department of Radiology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California USA (B.S., G.A.R.); Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, VA Loma Linda Medical Center, Loma Linda, California USA 92357 (D.A.); Department of Internal Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Redlands, California USA (A.M.K.); and Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, California USA (B.A.R.).
authors.forename: Anas M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kawayeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Riverside County Regional Medical Center, Moreno Valley, California USA (A.K.); Department of Radiology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California USA (B.S., G.A.R.); Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, VA Loma Linda Medical Center, Loma Linda, California USA 92357 (D.A.); Department of Internal Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Redlands, California USA (A.M.K.); and Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, California USA (B.A.R.).
authors.forename: Glenn A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Rouse
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Riverside County Regional Medical Center, Moreno Valley, California USA (A.K.); Department of Radiology, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, California USA (B.S., G.A.R.); Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, VA Loma Linda Medical Center, Loma Linda, California USA 92357 (D.A.); Department of Internal Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Redlands, California USA (A.M.K.); and Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, California USA (B.A.R.).
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Runyon
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D009929:Organ Size; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013154:Spleen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods
keywords: alcoholic; computed tomography; gastrointestinal ultrasound; hepatitis C; liver cirrhosis; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; radiography; sonography; spleen