There are a number of splenic lesions and anomalies:
Gamuts
Congenital anomalies
Mass lesions
Benign mass lesions
- splenic cyst
- splenic pseudocyst
- splenic hemangioma: commonest benign splenic lesion
- splenic lymphangioma
- splenic hamartoma
- sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation (SANT): fibrosing variant of hamartoma
- extramedullary hematopoiesis in the spleen
- splenic abscess: sonographically characterized by multiple “target” lesions
- splenic hydatid cysts
- splenic inflammatory pseudotumor 7
- splenic lipoma
- splenic angiomyolipoma
- splenic fibroma 7
- sarcoidosis
- focal splenic lesions in type I Gaucher disease 8
- splenic hematoma 10
Indeterminate mass lesions
- solitary fibrous tumors - range from indolent to aggressive (WHO grade 1-3)
- littoral cell angioma of the spleen
- inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the spleen
Malignant mass lesions
- splenic lymphoma: commonest malignant tumor with splenic involvement 2
- angiosarcoma of spleen: commonest primary malignant splenic tumor 3
- splenic metastases: 50% of which are from malignant melanoma
- splenic malignant fibrous histocytoma 9
Diffuse infiltrative processes
These usually manifest as splenomegaly. Some can present as distinct lesions (e.g. granulomas).
Multifocal splenic lesions
- lymphoma
- metastases
- sarcoidosis
- fungal abscesses
- granulomatous infections
- splenic siderosis (Gamna-Gandy bodies)
Other abnormalities
- splenic rupture
- traumatic: spleen is the most frequently injured intra-abdominal organ in blunt trauma 2
- non-traumatic
- splenic infarction
- splenosis
- splenic peliosis
