Nonparasitic splenic cysts. Ultrasonographic features and follow-up.

Sixty-three patients with splenic cysts, multiple in 7 cases, were reviewed. Only 3 patients had a history of previous abdominal trauma. The cysts ranged in size from less than 1 cm to 15 cm. They were anechoic in 40 patients, hypoechoic in 16, isoechoic in 4, mixed in one, and in 2 cases the echogenicity could not be assessed due to thick marginal calcifications. The echogenic cysts were larger than the anechoic ones and frequently calcified, and the findings at surgery, fine-needle aspiration biopsy and follow-up suggested the echogenicity to be related to a fresh or previous episode of intracystic hemorrhage. Initially, surgical treatment was undertaken on 10 patients, electively in 9 cases and due to cyst rupture in one. At follow-up (n = 37), the size of the cyst had increased markedly over several years in only 2 patients, necessitating delayed surgery in one. Routine follow-up of asymptomatic splenic cysts was of no clinical value.

Ultrasonography in traumatic splenic rupture.

Ultrasound (US) findings and their significance for the clinical outcome were studied in a series of 56 patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of splenic trauma. US was abnormal in 50 cases (89.3%) on admission, revealing intraperitoneal fluid in 41 (73.2%) and a splenic parenchymal injury and/or subcapsular haematoma in 35 (62.5%). US was abnormal in 24/25 patients undergoing urgent surgery, 23/26 undergoing successful non-surgical treatment and 2/5 patients undergoing delayed surgery within 1 to 3 days of a repeat US (abnormal in all five). The presence of intraperitoneal haemorrhage preoperatively was shown accurately by US in 29 cases (96.7%), and the splenic origin of the haemorrhage in 19 (63.3%). Repeat US was of most value for confirming the diagnosis by demonstrating splenic lesions not visible initially. The need for laparotomy could not be predicted on the basis of the US findings alone, however.