S plenic vein thrombosis: rare cause of abdominal pain

Abstract

-An 83-year-old woman with a history of hypertension, diabetes and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation anticoagulated with acenocoumarol was brought to the emergency department due to dyspnoea. At admission, the patient reported a 1-week history of malaise, shortness of breath and non-productive cough. She denied fever but reported pain on the left flank. On examination, auscultation showed arrhythmic tones and crackles in the left lower lung field. Laboratory findings showed leucocytosis of 15.32×10³/μL, and the C reactive protein was 177 mg/L. The activated partial thromboplastin time was 54.8 s, and the international normalised ratio was 7.09. A chest X-ray showed left lower lobe consolidation with pleural effusion. Point-of-care ultrasound was performed using a low-frequency curved transducer (2-5 MHz). The probe was placed in the left posterior axillary showing a pulmonary consolidation, but also a hypoechoic lesion in the spleen was found (figure 1).emermed;37/1/30/F1F1F1Figure 1Ultrasound image of the spleen in longitudinal section demonstrating a large, hypoechoic, wedge-shaped lesion. QUESTION: What is the most likely diagnosis?Splenic abscessSubcapsular splenic haematomaSplenic infarctionSplenic hydatid cyst For answer see page 2.

Keywords: abdomen- non trauma; clinical assessment; diagnosis; imaging; ultrasound.