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Wandering spleen—the challenge of ultrasound diagnosis: Report of 7 cases
Author(s) -
Karmazyn Boaz,
Steinberg Ran,
Gayer Gabriella,
Grozovski Sylvia,
Freud Enrique,
Kornreich Liora
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of clinical ultrasound
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.272
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1097-0096
pISSN - 0091-2751
DOI - 10.1002/jcu.20165
Subject(s) - wandering spleen , medicine , spleen , splenic infarction , ultrasound , radiology , infarction , abdominal pain , surgery , splenectomy , myocardial infarction
Purpose To summarize our experience with sonographic diagnosis of wandering spleen in children and assess for the typical sonographic findings of wandering spleen, complications, and possible diagnostic pitfalls.Methods We identified all pediatric patients from 1998–2003 with a surgically confirmed diagnosis of wandering spleen. All sonographic examinations were reviewed for splenic position, size, echotexture, and parenchymal blood flow.Results Seven children were identified with a mean age of 9.7 years (range 4.2–15.3 years). All presented with abdominal pain. Abdominal sonography, performed in all children demonstrated a low position of the spleen (n = 6), splenomegaly (n = 4), and absence of parenchymal flow in the three patients with splenic torsion and infarction. The diagnosis was made preoperatively via sonography in five children; three required repeated hospital admissions before the correct diagnosis was established. Complications occurred in five patients (gastric obstruction [n = 1], splenic infarction [n = 3], and recurrent pancreatitis [n = 1]).Conclusion The most specific sonographic finding for wandering spleen is low position of the spleen. However, if the spleen regains its normal or near‐normal position, the diagnosis may be missed and the condition may recur, and result in complications. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 33 :433–438, 2005