Sometimes things are what they seem

Rev Esp Enferm Dig. 2019 Apr;111(4):334. doi: 10.17235/reed.2019.5911/2018.

Abstract

Accessory spleen is a frequent congenital abnormality (10-20%) resulting in the fusion failure of splenunculi. We present a case report of a 74 year-old man with a nodule identified in the tail of the pancreas of 1.8 cm x 1.5 cm in size. The CT scan showed soft tissue attenuation and arterial hyperenhancement with a lower uptake in the central area, low 18-FDG affinity and no evidence of 111-In-octretide uptake. A solid, round and well-circumscribed nodule was defined as an intrapancreatic accessory spleen (IPAS) by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), due to shared ultrasonographic characteristics and a pattern of contrast enhancement with the spleen. The material obtained by EUS guided puncture was consistent with a lymph node. A distal pancreatectomy confirmed the presence of an IPAS.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Choristoma / diagnostic imaging*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Pancreatic Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Spleen / abnormalities*
  • Spleen / diagnostic imaging
  • Ultrasonography