Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Multi-modality imaging findings of splenic hamartoma: a report of nine cases and review of the literature

  • Published:
Abdominal Imaging Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the presentation of splenic hamartomas (SHs) on ultrasonography (US), CT and MRI.

Methods

Nine patients (5 males and 4 females, mean age, 52.8 years) with pathologically proven SHs were included in this study. US, CT and MRI images were analyzed retrospectively, and imaging features were correlated with pathological findings.

Results

SHs appeared solitary lesion (n = 8) and multiple lesions (n = 1) in the present study. (1) In 8 cases of solitary lesion, the lesions appeared as solid nodules or masses with well-defined margins and varying echogenicity (hyperecho = 5, hypoecho = 2, strong echo = 1) on ultrasound. The lesions showed iso-attenuation (n = 3) or slightly hypo-attenuation (n = 4) on unenhanced CT, and calcification were revealed in 3 lesions. MRI showed isointensity (n = 3) or hypointensity (n = 2) on the T1-weighted image, and heterogeneous hypointensity (n = 2), slightly hyperintensity (n = 2) and hyperintensity (n = 1) on the T2-weighted image. The enhanced patterns of SHs showed mild diffuse heterogeneous enhancement (n = 6) and prominent enhancement (n = 1) during arterial phase and above 7 lesions were demonstrated progressive enhancement at delayed phase on enhanced CT. One lesion without any enhancement was revealed in another patient. (2) One case of multiple lesions included 1 cystic lesion with irregular calcification and 7 solid lesions with progressive enhancement on CT images.

Conclusions

Combination of a variety of imaging modalities could more fully reflect the pathological characteristics and contribute to the diagnosis of SH.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Silverman ML, LiVolsi VA (1978) Splenic hamartoma. Am J Clin Pathol 70:224–229

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Lee H, Maeda K (2009) Hamartoma of the spleen. Arch Pathol Lab Med 133:147–151

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Abbott RM, Levy AD, Aguilera NS, Gorospe L, Thompson WM (2004) From the archives of the AFIP Primary vascular neoplasms of the spleen: radiologic-pathologic correlation. Radiographics 24:1137–1163

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Zissin R, Lishner M, Rathaus V (1992) Case report: unusual presentation of splenic hamartoma; computed tomography and ultrasonic findings. Clin Radiol 45:410–411

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Saint-Blancard P, Trueba F (2009) A rare splenic lesion, the splenoma or splenic hamartoma. Rev Med Interne 30:533–536

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Fernandez-Canton G, Capelastegui A, Merino A, et al. (1999) Atypical MRI presentation of a small splenic hamartoma. Eur Radiol 9:883–885

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Tang S, Shimizu T, Kikuchi Y, et al. (2000) Color Doppler sonographic findings in splenic hamartoma. J Clin Ultrasound 28:249–253

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ohtomo K, Fukuda H, Mori K, et al. (1992) CT and MR appearances of splenic hamartoma. J Comput Assist Tomogr 16:425–428

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Thompson SE, Walsh EA, Cramer BC, et al. (1996) Radiological features of a symptomatic splenic hamartoma. Pediatr Radiol 26:657–660

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Chevallier P, Guzman E, Fabiani P, et al. (1999) Fibrous splenic hamartoma: imaging features. J Radiol 80:1668–1671

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Ramani M, Reinhold C, Semelka RC, et al. (1997) Splenic hemangiomas and hamartomas: MR imaging characteristics of 28 lesions. Radiology 202:166–172

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Conlon S, Royston D, Murphy P (2007) Splenic hamartoma. Cytopathology 18:200–202

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Hayes TC, Britton HA, Mewborne EB, et al. (1998) Symptomatic splenic hamartoma: case report and literature review. Pediatrics 101:E10

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Iozzo RV, Haas JE, Chard RL (1980) Symptomatic splenic hamartoma: a report of two cases and review of the literature. Pediatrics 66:261–265

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Warnke RA, Weiss LM, Chan JK, Cleary ML, Dorfman RF (1995) Tumors of the lymph nodes and spleen. In: Rosai J, Sobin LH (eds) Atlas of tumor pathology. Washington, DC: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, pp 3–14

    Google Scholar 

  16. Yoshizawa J, Mizuno R, Yoshida T, et al. (1999) Spontaneous rupture of splenic hamartoma: a case report. J Pediatr Surg 34:498–499

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kassarjian A, Patenaude YG, Bernard C, Bell L (2001) Symptomatic splenic hamartoma with renal, cutaneous, and hematological abnormalities. Pediatr Radiol 31:111–114

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Cualing H, Wang G, Noffsinger A, Fenoglio-Preiser C (2001) Heterotopic ovarian splenoma: report of a first case. Arch Pathol Lab Med 125:1483–1485

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Darden JW, Teeslink R, Parrish A (1975) Hamartoma of the spleen: a manifestation of tuberous sclerosis. Am Surg 41:564–566

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Huff DS, Lischner HW, Go HC, et al. (1979) Unusual tumors in two boys with Wiskott-Aldrich like syndrome. Lab Invest 40:305–306

    Google Scholar 

  21. Falk S, Stutte HJ (1989) Hamartomas of the spleen: A study of 20 biopsy cases. Histopathology 14:603–612

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Wirbel RJ, Uhlig U, Futterer KM (1996) Case report: splenic hamartoma with hematologic disorders. Am J Med Sci 311:243–246

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Yu RS, Zhang SZ, Hua JM (2004) Imaging findings of splenic hamartoma. World J Gastroenterol 10:2613–2615

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Zukerberg LR, Kaynor BL, Silverman ML, Harris NL (1991) Splenic hamartoma and capillary hemangioma are distinct entities: Immunohistochemical analysis of CD8 expression by endothelial cells. Hum Pathol 22:1258–1261

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Ali TZ, Beyer G, Taylor M, Volpe C, Papadimitriou JC (2005) Splenic hamartoma: immunohistochemical and ultrastructural profile of two cases. Int J Surg Patho 13:103–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Goerg C, Schwerk WB (1994) Color Doppler imaging of focal splenic masses. Eur J Radio 18:214–219

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Nakanishi S, Shiraki K, Yamamoto K, et al. (2005) Basket pattern blood flow signals discovered in a case of splenic hamartoma by power Doppler ultrasonography. World J Gastroenterol 11:5235–5238

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Brinkley AA, Lee JK (1981) Cystic hamartoma of the spleen: CT and sonographic findings. J Clin Ultrasound 9:136–138

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Niizawa M, Ishida H, Morikawa P, Naganuma H, Masamune O (1991) Color Doppler sonography in a case of splenic hemangioma: value of compressing the tumor. AJR Am J Roentgenol 157:965–966

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Komaki S, Gombas OF (1976) Angiographic demonstration of a calcified splenic hamartoma. Radiology 121:77–78

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Norowitz DG, Morehouse HT (1989) Isodense splenic mass: hamartoma, a case report. Comput Med Imaging Graph 13:347–350

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Warshauer DM, Hall HL (2006) Solitary splenic lesions. Semin Ultrasound CT MR 27:370–388

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Shimuzu K, Suga K, Matsunaga N, et al. (1998) Splenic hamartoma presenting as a “hot spot” on Tc-99 m phytate SPECT imaging. Clin Nucl Med 23:370–373

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Avila L, Sivaprakasam P, Viero S, et al. (2009) Splenic hamartoma in a child in the era of PET-CT. Pediatr Blood Cancer 53:114–116

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Declaration

We declare that the experiments comply with the current laws of China.

Conflict of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University School of Medicine, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, 315010, Zhejiang, China

    Jian-hua Wang & Zhi-feng Wang

  2. Department of Radiology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Jian-hua Wang, Xiao-long Ma & Jian-ming Tian

  3. Department of Radiology, Lanzhou General Hospital of Lanzhou Military Region, Lanzhou, 730050, Gansu, China

    Fang-yuan Ren

  4. Department of Nuclear Medicine and Department of Radiology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Chang-jing Zuo

  5. Department of Pathology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Jian-ming Zheng

Authors
  1. Jian-hua Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiao-long Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fang-yuan Ren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Chang-jing Zuo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jian-ming Tian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Zhi-feng Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Jian-ming Zheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jian-ming Tian.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wang, Jh., Ma, Xl., Ren, Fy. et al. Multi-modality imaging findings of splenic hamartoma: a report of nine cases and review of the literature. Abdom Imaging 38, 154–162 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-012-9880-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-012-9880-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation