Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2006 Mar;40(3):251-4; discussion 251-4.
doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2005.022376.

Ultrasound assessment of spleen size in collegiate athletes

R G Hosey  1 , C G Mattacola, V Kriss, T Armsey, J D Quarles, J Jagger
Affiliations

Ultrasound assessment of spleen size in collegiate athletes

R G Hosey et al. Br J Sports Med. 2006 Mar.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine normal spleen dimensions in a healthy collegiate athletic population.

Methods: 631 Division I collegiate athletes from one university participated in the study. During pre-participation examinations, demographic data collected were collected from volunteer athletes including sex, race, measurement of height and weight, and age. Subjects also completed a medical history form to determine any history of mononucleosis infection, platelet disorder, sickle cell disease (or trait), thalassaemia, or recent viral symptoms. Subjects then underwent a limited abdominal ultrasound examination, where splenic length and width were recorded.

Results: Mean (SD) splenic length was 10.65 (1.55) cm and width, 5.16 (1.21) cm. Men had larger spleens than women (p<0.001). White subjects had larger spleens than African-American subjects (p<0.001). A previous history of infectious mononucleosis or the presence of recent cold symptoms had no significant affect on spleen size. In more than 7% of athletes, baseline spleen size met current criteria for splenomegaly.

Conclusions: There is a wide range of normal spleen size among collegiate athletes. Average spleen size was larger in men and white athletes than in women and black athletes. A single ultrasound examination for determination of splenomegaly is of limited value in this population.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: none declared

References

    1. Tamayo S G, Rickman L S, Mathews W C.et al Examiner dependence on physical diagnostic tests for the detection of splenomegaly: a prospective study with multiple observers. J Gen Intern Med 1993869–75. - PubMed
    1. Kindernecht J J. Infectious mononucleosis and the spleen. Curr Sports Med Rep 20021116–120. - PubMed
    1. Meire H, Farrant P. The liver. In: Baxter GM, Allan PLP, Morley P, eds. Clinical diagnostic ultrasound. Oxford: Blackwell Science, 1999379–380.
    1. Ayers A B. The spleen. In: Grainger RG, Allison DJ, eds. Diagnostic radiology: an Anglo‐American textbook of imaging. 2nd edn. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 19922403
    1. Fried A M. Retroperitoneum, pancreas, spleen, and lymph nodes. In: McGahan JP, Goldberg BB, eds. Diagnostic ultrasound: a logical approach. Philadelphia: Lippincott‐Raven, 1998777

Publication types