The spleen size varies with a child's age.
The three numbers below represent the 10th percentile, median, and 90th percentile for the long axis of the spleen (cm) 1-3:
- 0-3 months: (3.3, 4.5, 5.8 cm)
- 3-6 months: (4.9, 5.3, 6.4 cm)
- 6-12 months: (5.2, 6.2, 6.8 cm)
- 1-2 years: (5.4, 6.9, 7.5 cm)
- 2-4 years: (6.4, 7.4, 8.6 cm)
- 4-6 years: (6.9, 7.8, 8.8 cm)
- 6-8 years: (7.0, 8.2, 9.6 cm)
- 8-10 years: (7.9, 9.2, 10.5 cm)
- 10-12 years: (8.6, 9.9, 10.9 cm)
- 12-15 years: (8.7, 10.1, 11.4 cm)
- 15-20 years
- female (9.0, 10.0, 11.7 cm)
- male (10.1, 11.2, 12.6 cm)
There can be a slight difference in these values between males and females. An enlarged spleen may be due to a number of processes, including:
- infectious disease (e.g. mononucleosis)
- anemias, including sickle cell disease
- tumors
- portal hypertension
A small spleen may also be due to a number of processes, including:
NB: sickle cell disease may produce both a large spleen and a small spleen
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