Multi-modality imaging findings of splenic hamartoma: a report of nine cases and review of the literature

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the presentation of splenic hamartomas (SHs) on ultrasonography (US), CT and MRI.

Methods: Nine patients (5 males and 4 females, mean age, 52.8 years) with pathologically proven SHs were included in this study. US, CT and MRI images were analyzed retrospectively, and imaging features were correlated with pathological findings.

Results: SHs appeared solitary lesion (n = 8) and multiple lesions (n = 1) in the present study. (1) In 8 cases of solitary lesion, the lesions appeared as solid nodules or masses with well-defined margins and varying echogenicity (hyperecho = 5, hypoecho = 2, strong echo = 1) on ultrasound. The lesions showed iso-attenuation (n = 3) or slightly hypo-attenuation (n = 4) on unenhanced CT, and calcification were revealed in 3 lesions. MRI showed isointensity (n = 3) or hypointensity (n = 2) on the T1-weighted image, and heterogeneous hypointensity (n = 2), slightly hyperintensity (n = 2) and hyperintensity (n = 1) on the T2-weighted image. The enhanced patterns of SHs showed mild diffuse heterogeneous enhancement (n = 6) and prominent enhancement (n = 1) during arterial phase and above 7 lesions were demonstrated progressive enhancement at delayed phase on enhanced CT. One lesion without any enhancement was revealed in another patient. (2) One case of multiple lesions included 1 cystic lesion with irregular calcification and 7 solid lesions with progressive enhancement on CT images.

Conclusions: Combination of a variety of imaging modalities could more fully reflect the pathological characteristics and contribute to the diagnosis of SH.