Measurement of normal spleen volume and dimensions in all child age groups by abdominal computed tomography

This study aimed to calculate the spleen size and volume, portal vein diameter, splenic vein diameter, and accessory spleen presence in children aged 0-18 years in the Turkish population by computed tomography, according to age and gender.

Abdominal computed tomography images of 406 children without systemic or organospecific disease were retrospectively analyzed in the study. Maximum interpolar length in axial and coronal sections in addition to maximum width at hilus level in axial sections of the spleen were measured in abdominal computed tomography. Luminal diameter measurements were obtained from axial sections at the level of the liver hilum of the portal vein and the hilus of the spleen of the splenic vein.

As age increases, the axial longest dimension (ALD), axial longest thickness (ALT) and coronal longest dimension (CLD) dimensions also increase, and this increase is statistically significant (p<0.001). The lowest splenic volume was measured in the 0-2 age group as 25.3 cm3, and the highest splenic volume was 506.2 cm3 in the 17-18 age group. Splenic vein diameter is between 1.9 mm and 11.0 mm, and the mean splenic vein diameter increases with increasing age. Portal vein diameter is between 4.1 mm and 14.9 mm, and the average portal vein diameter increases with age. The accessory spleen was seen in 22 (5.4%) children. Accessory spleen size ranged from 5 mm to 17 mm. There was a strong positive correlation between spleen volume and splenic vein diameter (r=0.696 p<0.001). Similarly, there was a strong positive correlation between spleen volume and portal vein diameter (r=0.704 p<0.001).

It may be helpful to know the normal spleen volume in healthy children according to age groups in making the correct diagnosis of splenomegaly. We assume that it will play an important role in the accurate diagnosis of portal hypertension to know the upper and lower limits of the portal vein and splenic vein diameters.