Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 25, 2025
03:49
Application of Microwave Ablation in Laparoscopic Partial Splenectomy
Published on: November 15, 2024
418
Intrahepatic splenosis demonstrated by diffusion weighted MRI with histologic confirmation
Darshan Gandhi1, Pranav Sharma2, Gunjan Garg2
1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, St. Vincent's Medical Center at Hartford Healthcare, 2800 Main Street, Bridgeport, CT 06606, USA.
Radiology Case Reports
|March 28, 2020
Summary
Splenosis, ectopic splenic tissue after splenectomy, can mimic liver tumors on imaging. This case highlights diagnosing intrahepatic splenosis using advanced imaging to avoid unnecessary biopsies.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Abdominal Imaging
- Nuclear Medicine
Background:
- Splenosis is the ectopic autotransplantation of splenic tissue, often occurring after splenectomy due to trauma or surgery.
- Intrahepatic splenosis is a rare form of splenosis where splenic tissue implants within the liver parenchyma.
- Patients may present with vague symptoms or be asymptomatic, with diagnosis often incidental or challenging due to mimicry of other liver pathologies.
Observation:
- A 36-year-old male with a history of splenectomy presented with left flank pain.
- Imaging revealed an intrahepatic lesion mimicking a liver neoplasm.
- The lesion's characteristics on various MRI sequences and nuclear medicine scans were evaluated.
Findings:
- The intrahepatic lesion was diagnosed as splenosis based on characteristic imaging findings.
- Specific magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal intensities were crucial in differentiating splenosis from neoplastic lesions.
- Nuclear medicine examination further supported the diagnosis of functional splenic tissue.
Implications:
- Accurate diagnosis of intrahepatic splenosis through advanced imaging can prevent unnecessary invasive procedures like biopsies.
- Understanding the imaging features of splenosis is vital for radiologists and clinicians managing post-splenectomy patients.
- This case underscores the importance of considering splenosis in the differential diagnosis of liver lesions, especially in patients with a history of splenic trauma or surgery.
