Physical Address

304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124

Splenomegaly


The spleen must be enlarged to about three times its normal size before it becomes clinically palpable. The lower margin may feel notched on palpation. The spleen may become so massive in size that it is palpable in the right iliac fossa. Massive splenomegaly in the UK is likely to be due to chronic myeloid leukaemia, myelofibrosis or lymphoma. Splenomegaly may lead to hypersplenism, i.e. pancytopenia as cells become trapped and destroyed in an overactive spleen.

Causes

Infective

Bacterial

  • ●

    Typhoid

  • ●

    Tuberculosis

  • ●

    Leptospirosis

  • ●

    Septicaemia

  • ●

    Abscess

Viral

  • ●

    Infectious mononucleosis syndromes (EBV/CMV)

Protozoal

  • ●

    Malaria • (common in Africa)

Parasitic

  • ●

    Hydatid cyst

Inflammatory

  • ●

    Rheumatoid arthritis (Felty’s syndrome)

  • ●

    Sarcoidosis

  • ●

    Lupus

  • ●

    Amyloid

Neoplastic

  • ●

    Metastases

  • ●

    Primary tumours

  • ●

    Leukaemia ( Fig. 55 )

    Figure 55, MRI (sagittal section) of a patient with gross splenomegaly due to chronic myeloid leukaemia .

  • ●

    Lymphoma

  • ●

    Polycythaemia vera

  • ●

    Myelofibrosis

Haemolytic disease

  • ●

    Hereditary spherocytosis

  • ●

    Acquired haemolytic anaemia

  • ●

    Thrombocytopenic purpura

Storage diseases

  • ●

    Gaucher’s disease

You're Reading a Preview

Become a Clinical Tree membership for Full access and enjoy Unlimited articles

Become membership

If you are a member. Log in here

Related Posts