[Ultrasonic diagnosis of tumors of the spleen].

Neoplasms of the spleen, either primary or secondary, are rare, and knowledge of them is insufficient. Actually, the spleen had been a difficult organ clinically to assess until the ultrasonic technique was introduced for medical diagnostic purposes. Nowadays, one can easily determine splenic size by using one of the largest cross sectional area of several ultrasonic scans taken parallel to the IXth ribs). Ultrasonic appearance of the spleens in the tomograms taken by our method is classified into three basic patterns. Splenotomograms of our own cases with diffuse and localized splenic tumors were shown in this study. Ultrasonic scanning of the spleen is a non-invasive and valuable diagnostic technique for estimation of its configuration and size, and for detection and some degree of tissue characterization of space occupying lesions. However, further extensive investigation is needed for more accurate tissue characterization of the splenic lesions.