title: Thoracic splenosis as a differential diagnosis of juxtapleural nodules.
abstract: Thoracic splenosis is rare and consists of ectopic implantation of splenic tissue into the chest after concomitant thoracic and abdominal trauma with diaphragm injury. It occurs in about 18% of cases of splenic ruptures. In almost all cases, diagnosis is given incidentally once patients are usually asymptomatic. Thoracic splenosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis in all patients with history of trauma presenting with juxtapleural nodules in chest computed tomography. However, malignant conditions should be ruled out firstly. Biopsy is not essential for the diagnosis once nuclear medicine can confirm splenosis in patients with pertinent history of trauma and suggestive tomographic image. We present a typical case of thoracic splenosis whose diagnosis was made by nuclear medicine and no invasive procedures were required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Vicente
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Marcellos
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corassa
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Freire
keywords: Diaphragmatic injury; Intrathoracic splenosis; Splenectomy; Splenic injury