Spleen Flashcards
A 20 year old comes in after an MVA complaining of shortness of breath and left shoulder pain. What ultrasound will the ER most likely order?
a) spleen
b) carotid
c) chest
d) left shoulder soft tissue
A) spleen
What is the largest lymphoid organ that filters damaged cells, microorganisms and particulate matter?
Spleen
What is the average size of the adult spleen
12 cm long
8 cm trans
4 cm thick
Splenomegaly is indicated when the spleen is how many cm
greater than 12 cm
What 4 structures are located on the visceral surface of the spleen
1) stomach
2) left kidney
3) pancreas
4) splenic flexure of the colon
The fundus of the stomach and the lesser sac are _____ and ____ to the splenic hilum
medial and anterior
The tail of the pancreas is located ____ to the stomach and lesser sac as it approaches the splenic hilum
Posterior
The left kidney lies_____ and ____ to the spleen
Inferior, and medial
The pancreatic tail is located ______ to the upper pole of the left kidney in the splenic hilum
anterior (Ventral)
What are focal lesions resulting from previous infections
Granulomas
What is seen as focal bright echogenic lesions, with or without shadowing
Granulomas
What are the 2 most common causes of granulomas
1) histoplasmosis
2) tuberculosis
What 2 areas can granulomas be found
1) liver
2) lungs
Name 3 other splenic calcifacations can be associated with
1) splenic artery or splenic artery aneurysms
2) pneumocystis carinii infection
3) splenic infarcts
Name 5 examples of cystic lesions that may be found in the spleen
1) autosominal dominant PKD
2) hydatid cysts
3) epidermoid cysts
4) liquified infarcts of hematomas
5) pancreatic psuedocysts
What are true cysts lined by squamous epithelium typically averaging 10 cm in size
Epidermoid cyst
This can erode into the spleen and may weaken vessels causing psuedoaneurysms and bleeding into the pseudocyst
Pancreatic pseudocysts
What is the most common benign primary neoplasm of the spleen
Hemangiomas
What frequently metastasizes to the spleen followed by breast and lung cancer
Malignant melanoma
Splenic infarcts are common in patients with
1) bacterial endocarditis
2) splenic artery aneurysms
What presents as a peripheral wedge shaped hypoechoic lesion
Splenic infarcts
What is associated with general abdominal sepsis
Splenic infection
Sonographically, splenic abscesses are seen as
complex cystic lesions
What is associated with reverberation (comet-tail) artifact
Splenic abscess
Name 12 causes of splenomegaly
1) viral infections
2) bacterial infections
3) malaria
4) schistosomiasis
5) rheumatoid arthritis
6) hemolytic anemia
7) leukemia
8) lymphoma
9) portal hypertension
10) congestive heart failure
11) storage disease
12) sickle cell anemia
The spleen is located in the LUQ, so when it enlarges it extends into the _____, ______, and _____ direction
Anterior, medial, and inferior
What is due to alcoholic cirrhosis and is the most common cause of splenomegaly in adults
Portal hypertension
Name 2 things that are the disruption in the development of the normal asymmetric arrangement of abdominal organs and vessels
1) heterotaxia
2) situs ambiguous
What term defines the misarrangement of abdominal structures
Heterotaxia
Name the 2 classifications of heterotaxia
1) polysplenia
2) asplenia
What is defined as bilateral left-sidedness
Polysplenia