Demographic and radiologic characteristics of patients with an accessory spleen: An octennial experience

Abstract

Purpose: Spare spleen or accessory spleen may develop as a result of the rupture of the spleen after an injury or as a result of an anomaly. The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence and Computerized Tomography features of the accessory spleen.

Material and Methods: Results obtained from patients who were referred to our clinic between January 2005 and January 2013, and who underwent a Computerized Tomography scan due to a clinical indication were investigated according to age, gender, presence and location of an accessory spleen and valuated as percentages.

Results: Accessory spleen was found in a total of 1693 patients whose ages ranged from 4-99 years. When accessory spleen was evaluated by location, we detected a total number of 801 (47.73%) patients, mostly with a splenic hilum. Patients with an accessory spleen were also evaluated according to gender; a total number of 808 (47.73%) patients were females and 885 (52.27%) were males. However, when accessory spleen was evaluated by age, we found that there were a total number of 383 patients, who were mostly 40–49 years old, ranked in the second row, while 314 patients were 50–59 years old.

Conclusion: The investigation of an accessory spleen is very important, especially during the preoperative and postoperative terms, to prevent relapse and for therapy planning. It is essential to maintain periodic radiological follow-ups regarding the size and morphology of an accessory spleen.