Estimation of Spleen Volume Using MRI Segmentation: Would One Slice Be Enough?

Area of Science:

• Radiology and Medical Imaging
• Anatomy
• Biometry

Background:

• Accurate spleen volume measurement is crucial for diagnosing various medical conditions.
• Establishing reference values for spleen volume in specific populations is essential for clinical interpretation.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) offers a non-invasive method for anatomical assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish reference values for spleen volume in adult Sudanese individuals.
• To evaluate the correlation between spleen volume and anthropometric measurements.
• To assess the reliability of manual segmentation and the Cavalieri method for spleen volume calculation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 345 abdominal MRI scans from adult Sudanese patients.
• Manual segmentation of spleen on sectional images.
• Volume calculation using MATLAB code and the Cavalieri method.
• Measurement of abdominal circumference, diameters, L1 body dimension, and spinal canal.

Main Results:

• Mean spleen volume was 187.2 cm³ (males: 223.5 cm³, females: 170.27 cm³).
• Spleen volume showed a significant positive correlation with spleen length (r=0.781, P<0.05).
• A significant correlation was also found with abdomen transverse diameter (r=0.267, P<0.05), but not with age or other measurements.

Conclusions:

• Manual segmentation is a reliable method for objective spleen volume measurement.
• Established spleen volume ranges align with previous studies, with length being a key predictor.
• Further research with multi-slice measurements is recommended for enhanced accuracy.