What does it mean to have a cyst on spleen?
Cysts. True splenic cysts are rare. Splenic cysts can be divided into true epidermoid cysts (lined by epithelium) and secondary cysts resulting from hemorrhage, infection (hydatid disease), or infarction. The most common cause of a splenic cyst is trauma, followed by hydatid disease (Fig. 5-22).
How serious is a cyst on the spleen?
Although a significant percentage of splenic cysts are asymptomatic, larger cysts may cause vague upper abdominal pain as a result of capsular distention or pressure on adjacent organs. Major complications like hemorrhage into the cyst or peritonitis secondary to cyst rupture are rare.
What to do if you have a cyst on your spleen?
Either total or partial splenectomy may provide successful treatment. If the cyst is very large and almost completely covered by splenic parenchyma, or if it is located in the splenic hilum, complete splenectomy is recommended, because of the risk of intractable bleeding from the spleen.
What does a CT scan of the spleen show?
A CT scan remains the most useful preoperative investigation to measure splenic volume; to exclude lymph nodes at the splenic hilum; and to detect accessory spleens, splenic abscesses, and perisplenitis.
What kind of doctor treats spleen cysts?
For example, hematologists (doctors who specialize in treating blood disorders), oncologists (cancer specialists), and gastroenterologists (liver and digestive tract specialists) all commonly take care of patients who may have enlarged spleen as a response to another condition.
Does a CT scan show spleen problems?
Why do a CT scan of the spleen?
What does a splenic cyst look like on CT?
On CT, these cysts appear as well-circumscribed, hypodense and nonenhancing lesions (Fig. 7b). On MR imaging, splenic cysts are hypointense on T1-WI and strongly hyperintense on T2-WI.
What is a splenic epithelial cyst?
Splenic epithelial cysts , also known as splenic epidermoid cysts or primary splenic cysts, are unilocular fluid lesions with thin and smooth walls and no enhancement. They represent ~20% of cysts found in the spleen, and are usually an innocuous incidental imaging finding.
How to diagnose spleen cysts and other diseases?
Patients with suspected spleen cysts or other diseases affecting the abdominal organs must be examined by a surgeon. The doctor will examine, interview the patient, conduct palpation and percussion diagnostics, so that he can suspect a particular problem. Already to clarify the diagnosis, the following studies will be additionally assigned:
What is the prevalence of spleen cysts?
The widespread use of ultrasound and CT of the abdominal organs has led to the fact that spleen cysts have begun to be detected more often, and now they account for 1% of all diagnosed pathologies of this organ, and only 0.07% of diseases in the general population (according to some other data, 0, 5-2%).