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Splenic lymphangiomatosis in children
D T Wadsworth1, B Newman, S J Abramson
1Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, St Louis, Mo, USA.
Radiology
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Splenic lymphangiomatosis is often found incidentally on imaging, presenting characteristic appearances. Recognizing these imaging features aids diagnosis and can prevent invasive procedures for this condition.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Radiology
- Abdominal Imaging
- Vascular Anomalies
Background:
- Splenic lymphangiomatosis is a rare condition involving abnormal lymphatic vessel development within the spleen.
- It can present with varied clinical and imaging findings, sometimes associated with extrasplenic disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the clinical and imaging characteristics of splenic lymphangiomatosis in pediatric patients.
- To evaluate the diagnostic utility of various imaging modalities in identifying this condition.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of clinical and abdominal imaging data from 10 children diagnosed with splenic lymphangiomatosis.
- Imaging modalities included computed tomography (CT), sonography, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.
- Pathologic confirmation was obtained in nine patients.
Main Results:
- Splenic lymphangiomatosis was incidentally detected in all cases.
- Imaging revealed multiple well-defined cysts (sonography/MR) or multiple low-attenuation lesions/mottled spleen (CT).
- Eight patients remained asymptomatic regarding splenic involvement years after diagnosis.
Conclusions:
- Splenic lymphangiomatosis often presents as an incidental finding with a distinct imaging signature.
- Characteristic imaging appearance aids in diagnosis and may obviate the need for invasive interventions.
- The condition can be isolated or occur concurrently with bone and soft-tissue lymphangiomas.