Intrahepatic splenosis with severe iron deposition presenting with atypical magnetic resonance images

Intern Med. 2008;47(8):743-6. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.47.0689. Epub 2008 Apr 16.

Abstract

An intrahepatic mass was incidentally found in a 41-year-old man with a history of a traffic accident injury which resulted in removal of a ruptured spleen. Hepatic splenosis was considered in the differential diagnosis but magnetic resonance imaging showed hypointensity on T2-weighted images, atypical for normal spleen. Histologically, the mass showed sinusoidal structures and lymphoid follicular aggregates. Immunohistochemical study showed that the phenotype of the vascular lining cells was CD8-positive, CD31-positive, and CD34 negative, the pattern diagnostic for ectopic spleen. In addition, severe iron deposition was histologically demonstrated, which was considered as the cause of the hypointense T2-weighted images.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biopsy
  • Choristoma / diagnosis
  • Choristoma / metabolism
  • Choristoma / pathology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Humans
  • Iron / metabolism*
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Liver / pathology*
  • Liver Diseases / diagnosis
  • Liver Diseases / metabolism
  • Liver Diseases / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Spleen*
  • Splenosis / diagnosis*
  • Splenosis / metabolism
  • Splenosis / pathology*

Substances

  • Iron