Spleen ultrasound

The spleen is located in the left upper part of the abdomen and participates in the functioning of the immune system and the exchange of blood cells. If pain or heaviness appears in the left hypochondrium, changes in blood tests, or suspicion of organ enlargement, the doctor may recommend spleen ultrasound — a quick, painless examination without radiation exposure.

Spleen ultrasound in Kyiv at the Oxford Medical medical center is performed on modern expert-class equipment. This allows assessing the condition of the spleen, its structure and size, as well as obtaining important information for further diagnostics. To undergo ultrasound at a time convenient for you, contact the clinic’s contact center.

Ultrasound helps assess the location of the organ, its shape, contours, tissue structure, and the presence of changes that may have diagnostic significance.

During ultrasound, the doctor can assess:

• the size of the organ and its correspondence to age, height, and features of body structure;
• the contours of the organ, their clarity and evenness;
• the structure of the tissue, its homogeneity or the presence of areas of compaction;
• the presence of cysts, space-occupying formations, calcifications, or other changes;
• signs of organ enlargement;
• the consequences of injuries, if there is suspicion of organ damage.

Ultrasound may be important when splenomegaly is suspected — enlargement of the organ, which sometimes occurs with infectious, hematological, autoimmune, or systemic diseases. Also, ultrasound diagnostics helps assess the condition of the organ after abdominal injuries, previous diseases, or treatment.

Doctors of Oxford Medical explain: the ultrasound result should be assessed not separately, but together with the patient’s complaints, medical history, examination data, and laboratory indicators. For example, enlargement of the spleen may have different causes, so blood tests, consultation with a therapist, gastroenterologist, hematologist, or another specialist may be needed to establish a diagnosis.

Ultrasound may also be recommended for infectious diseases, blood clotting disorders, anemia, liver diseases, or suspicion of systemic processes that may affect the spleen. In such cases, the examination helps assess the organ not in isolation, but in the context of the patient’s general condition.

Sometimes the spleen is examined as part of ultrasound of the abdominal organs, when it is necessary to simultaneously assess the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and other organs. This is appropriate if the complaints do not have a clear localization or it is necessary to comprehensively check the organs of the upper abdomen.

Doctors of Oxford Medical recommend not postponing consultation if pain in the left hypochondrium appeared after a blow, fall, or abdominal trauma. In such situations, it is important to assess the condition of the spleen in a timely manner, even if the symptoms seem moderate.

In most cases, special preparation for spleen ultrasound is not needed. However, for better visualization of the organ, several recommendations should be taken into account.

Before the examination, it is not advisable to overeat, especially immediately before the procedure. If ultrasound is scheduled for the morning, it is usually performed on an empty stomach. With a daytime appointment, it is enough to make a break in eating for approximately 5–6 hours. Drinking water is allowed, but it is better to choose non-carbonated water.

If the spleen is assessed together with other organs, for example, if a general ultrasound of the abdominal organs is performed, preparation will be broader. In this case, it is usually recommended to:

• not eat for 6–8 hours before the examination;
• limit foods that cause bloating for 1–2 days;
• not consume carbonated drinks before the procedure.

Such recommendations help reduce gas formation in the intestine and improve the quality of visualization during the examination.

Ultrasound examination is performed through the anterior abdominal wall. The patient is positioned on the couch, usually lying on their back or on their right side. This position helps the doctor better examine the area of the left hypochondrium where the spleen is located.

A special gel is applied to the skin, which improves the contact of the transducer with the body and the conduction of the ultrasound wave. After this, the doctor sequentially examines the organ from different projections, assesses its shape, structure, contours, and size. If necessary, the patient may be asked to take a deep breath, hold their breath, or slightly change the position of the body.

The procedure usually lasts about 10–15 minutes and does not cause pain. When pressing with the transducer in the area of discomfort, slight pressure may be felt. After completion, the patient receives a conclusion with a description of the results.

The final assessment of the conclusion is made by the doctor who prescribed the examination. They take into account complaints, test results, examination data, and other medical data. If the detected changes require clarification, the patient may be recommended additional examinations.

During ultrasound, the doctor assesses not only the structure of the organ, but also its size. This is important because enlargement of the organ may be associated with infectious diseases, blood pathologies, liver diseases, circulatory disorders, or other conditions.

The approximate normal spleen size in adults:

These indicators are consistent with the data of the study by Rosenberg H.K. et al. (USA), in which it was established that in most patients the length of the spleen does not exceed 11 cm, the width — 7 cm, and the thickness — 5 cm.

These values are approximate. In different patients, sizes may differ depending on height, body weight, age, anatomical features, and general health condition. Therefore, the doctor assesses not only the numbers, but also the structure of the organ, its contours, tissue homogeneity, and the presence of additional changes.

Doctors of Oxford Medical explain: if the organ is enlarged, this does not automatically mean the presence of a severe disease. Such a change may be temporary or associated with different causes, therefore the ultrasound result should be assessed comprehensively with blood tests and the general clinical picture.

For spleen ultrasound, the price depends on the format of the examination: whether only the spleen is examined, or whether it is included in a comprehensive ultrasound of the abdominal organs and retroperitoneal space. The current price can be viewed here.

At the Oxford Medical medical center, patients can receive various medical services: undergo ultrasound, take tests, receive a doctor’s consultation and, if necessary, further treatment procedures. To make an appointment for the examination, call the contact center or leave a request for a callback.

The information is for informational purposes and does not replace a doctor’s consultation.

Sources:

• NCBI Bookshelf
• PubMed
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists