Sonography after splenic embolization: the wedge-shaped acute infarct.

After undergoing therapeutic transcatheter embolization of the splenic artery for treatment of portal hypertension, 11 consecutive patients were evaluated with sulfur colloid scintigraphy and real-time sonography of the left upper quadrant to determine which method was better for follow-up evaluation of the spleen. Six splenic infarcts were documented by both imaging methods; sonography, however, demonstrated the characteristic wedge shape of the infarct in four of the six cases. There were no cases of splenic abscess formation. Sonography should be the primary method for evaluation of the spleen after transcatheter embolization and can help in planning treatment to avoid abscess formation.