[Inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen]

A case of inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen in a 69-year-old woman who was studied for elevated globular sedimentation rate is presented. The lesion was observed on echography as a mixed solid-cystic mass. Magnetic resonance showed a slight decrease in signal intensity in potentiated T1 sequences and a heterogenic mass with high signal areas in T2 images and protonic density. Splenectomy was performed and histopathologic study demonstrated an inflammatory pseudotumor of 10 cm in its greatest size. Two year follow up was satisfactory. On review of the literature only 34 cases of inflammatory pseudotumors have been previously published. Half of the cases presented during the 6th and 7th decades of life, with women being the most frequently affected. Inflammatory pseudotumors of the spleen are benign lesions which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of splenic masses. Since diagnosis cannot be made preoperatively, and a malignant tumor is almost always suspected, splenectomy should be performed.