[Fibrous splenic hamartoma: imaging features]

Abstract

Splenoma or splenic hamartoma is a rare primary splenic tumor most often incidentally discovered. The authors report the case of a splenic hamartoma, developed in an asymptomatic man and imaged by US, CT and MRI. This tumor which measured 7 cm in diameter, was hypoechoic with posterior hardening of the ultrasound beam, and not much vascularized as demonstrated by Duplex and color Doppler examination. The tumor MR imaging showed hyperintensity on T1-weighted and hypointensity on T2-weighted. The final diagnosis was not established until the histologic examination of the splenectomy specimen was performed. Histopathologically, the tumor corresponded to a fibrous type of splenic hamartoma. The atypical imaging features which led to splenectomy were probably related to the fibrous component of the hamartoma.