Spleen Flashcards
This is the largest lympatic organ in the body.
spleen
T/F? The spleen is a retroperitoneal organ.
FALSE, it’s peritoneal
This organ filters damaged cells and delivers antigens to the immune system.
spleen
Splenic arteries are sometimes called ___ arteries, due to their appearance on u/s.
brush
The spleen consists of what two kinds of pulp?
white and red
The ___ pulp of the spleen is lymphatic tissue consisting mainly of lymphocytes around arteries.
white
The white pulp of the spleen is ___ tissue consisting mainly of lymphocytes around ___.
lymphatic tissue, arteries
The ___ pulp of the spleen consists of venous sinuses filled with blood and cords of lymphatic cells.
red
The red pulp of the spleen consists of ___ filled with blood and cords of ___ cells.
venous sinuses, lymphatic
T/F? The spleen decreases in size and weight with advancing age.
true
The spleen ___ in volume while digestion is in progress and ___ when it is finished.
increases, returns to normal size
The spleen ___ in much the way that lymphnodes filter lymph.
filter blood
What does the spleen do to old and damaged RBCs?
removes them from the circulating blood
The spleen, like the bone marrow, can…
produce new red blood cells.
The spleen is both hemo___ and hemo___.
-lytic, -poietic
What two components of the spleen are joined at the hilum?
superomedial and inferolateral
The fundus of stomach is ___ to the splenic hilum.
medial and anterior
The diaphragm is ___ to the spleen.
posterior, superior and lateral
The pancreas tail is ___ to the stomach.
posterior
The pancreas tail is ___ to the splenic hilum.
medial and anterior
The lesser sac is ___ to the splenic hilum.
medial and anterior
The left kidney is ___ to the spleen.
medial and inferior
The splenic parenchyma is ___geneous with ___ echoes.
homo-, uniform mid to low level
Name four reasons to u/s the spleen.
- show a mass and its composition
- show the disruption of the splenic texture or outline
- show its size
- show changes in masses
A spleen larger than ___ is considered splenomegaly.
12 cm
Mild to moderate splenomegaly is usually caused by…
infection, portal hypertension, or AIDs.
Marked splenomegaly is usually the result of…
leukemia, lymphoma, or mononucleosis.
Massive splenomegaly is seen in…
myelofibrosis.
This is the most frequently observed abnormality of the spleen.
splenomegaly
Name the five causes of splenomegaly.
- congestive
- hematologic
- infiltrative
- metabolic
- trauma
Congestive splenomegaly is secondary to ___ due to cirrhosis.
portal HTN. May also be caused by anemia.
This blood disorder of ‘uncontrolled RBC production’ causes hyperviscosity, hypercoagulation, and splenomegaly.
polycythemia vera
Polycythemia vera causes this kind of splenic condition.
hematologic splenomegaly
Leukemia and lymphoma can cause this kind of splenic condition.
infiltrative splenomegaly