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Updated: Aug 6, 2025
Multimodality Diagnosis of Mesenteric Ischemia
Published on: July 21, 2023
Role of spleen density in predicting postoperative complications in patients with acute mesenteric ischemia
Qi-Na He1, Lang Chen1, Han-Yu Hu2
1The First Clinical Medical College, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Background:
Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is a life-threatening surgical emergency with a poor prognosis. This study assessed the association of diffuse reduction of spleen density (DROSD) with postoperative complications and identified risk factors for adverse outcomes in AMI patients after surgery.
Methods:
Patients who were diagnosed with AMI and underwent surgical operations between April 2006 and July 2021 were enrolled. Spleen density was assessed using preoperative non-enhanced computed tomography. The lowest quartile of spleen density in all patients was regarded as the cutoff value for DROSD. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the risk factors related to postoperative outcomes after surgery.
Results:
According to the diagnostic cutoff, patients with a spleen density ≤49.07 HU were defined as DROSD. In a cohort of 97 patients, 34.0% developed complications within 30 days of surgery. The multivariate analysis illustrated that DROSD was an independent risk factor for prognostic outcomes in AMI patients after surgery.
Conclusion:
Patients with low spleen density were prone to postoperative complications. As an imaging method, preoperative assessment of spleen density is a novel predictor that can be used clinically to identify high-risk AMI patients with poor prognosis.
Insights
Low spleen density in acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) patients indicates a higher risk of postoperative complications. Preoperative CT scans can identify these high-risk individuals for better surgical outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Surgical Oncology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) presents a significant surgical emergency with high mortality.
- Postoperative complications significantly impact outcomes in AMI patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between diffuse reduction of spleen density (DROSD) and postoperative complications in AMI patients.
- To identify risk factors for adverse outcomes following AMI surgery.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 97 AMI patients undergoing surgery (April 2006 - July 2021).
- Spleen density assessed via preoperative non-enhanced computed tomography (CT).
- Statistical analyses, including univariate and multivariate, identified risk factors for postoperative outcomes.
Main Results:
- Diffuse reduction of spleen density (DROSD) defined as spleen density ≤49.07 HU.
- 34.0% of patients experienced complications within 30 days post-surgery.
- Multivariate analysis confirmed DROSD as an independent risk factor for poor prognostic outcomes in AMI.
Conclusions:
- Patients with reduced spleen density are more susceptible to postoperative complications.
- Preoperative spleen density assessment using CT is a novel imaging predictor for identifying high-risk AMI patients.
- This imaging biomarker aids in clinical decision-making for managing AMI patients.
