A rare case of accessory spleen torsion in a child diagnosed by ultrasound (US) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)

A case of symptomatic intramesenteric accessory spleen: The diagnostic role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound

Introduction

Accessory spleen is a congenital defect characterised by a separated ectopic splenic parenchyma usually located in the splenic hilum and the tail of the pancreas. It is present in about 10%-30% of the population and, generally, does not cause any symptoms.

Case report

We report an interesting case of a woman with symptomatic intramesenteric accessory spleen detected and characterised by contrast-enhanced ultrasound. The patient experienced a long history of intermittent pain in the left upper abdomen. The diagnosis was confirmed by post-operative pathology examination.

Discussion

Accessory spleen usually appears as a well-circumscribed ovoid mass, 1-3 cm in diameter, infrequently located in the mesentery. It may rarely become symptomatic because of complications. Diagnosis of this condition as a cause of abdominal is difficult and rarely has been made pre-operatively. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging might help, but they should be performed with intravenous contrast injection, and they cannot provide direct evidence between the pain of the patient and the lesion. Conversely, real-time ultrasound can assess and diagnose the lesion showing the exact correspondence with abdominal pain of the patient. Furthermore, ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound are widely available, safe and relatively inexpensive.

Conclusion

Apart from the rarity of this condition, this case report demonstrates the ability of ultrasound to localise the intramesenteric accessory spleen, assess the relationship between the lesion and the symptoms of the patient, and characterise the lesion.

Radiologic Findings of Single Accessory Splenic Infarction in a Patient with Accessory Spleens in the Abdominal Cavity: A Case Report

The presence of multiple accessory spleens in the abdominal cavity is typically limited to two, with cases involving a higher number being exceedingly rare. Concurrently, accessory spleen infarction is remarkably uncommon, primarily resulting from torsion of the vascular pedicle. In this report, we present a case of a 19-year-old male who experienced infarction in one of four accessory spleens. Imaging diagnosis proved challenging, with the definitive diagnosis being made through postoperative pathology, revealing no torsion in the affected accessory spleen. Following surgery combined with anti-inflammatory and analgesic treatment, the patient exhibited an uneventful recovery. No complications were observed at the 3-month follow-up. This case indicates the challenge and difficulty of diagnosing accessory splenic infarction without torsion in imaging diagnosis. Employing a multimodality approach and diffusion-weighted imaging may aid in confirming the diagnosis.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound: a comprehensive review of safety in children

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has been increasingly used in pediatric radiology practice worldwide. For nearly two decades, CEUS applications have been performed with the off-label use of gas-containing second-generation ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs). Since 2016, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the UCA Lumason for three pediatric indications: the evaluation of focal liver lesions and echocardiography via intravenous administration and the assessment of vesicoureteral reflux via intravesical application (contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography, ceVUS). Prior to the FDA approval of Lumason, numerous studies with the use of second-generation UCAs had been conducted in adults and children. Comprehensive protocols for clinical safety evaluations have demonstrated the highly favorable safety profile of UCA for intravenous, intravesical and other intracavitary uses. The safety data on CEUS continue to accumulate as this imaging modality is increasingly utilized in clinical settings worldwide. As of August 2021, 57 pediatric-only original research studies encompassing a total of 4,518 children with 4,906 intravenous CEUS examinations had been published. As in adults, there were a few adverse events; the majority of these were non-serious, although very rarely serious anaphylactic reactions were reported. In the published pediatric-only intravenous CEUS studies included in our analysis, the overall incidence rate of serious adverse events was 0.22% (10/4,518) of children and 0.20% (10/4,906) of all CEUS examinations. Non-serious adverse events from the intravenous CEUS were observed in 1.20% (54/4,518) of children and 1.10% (54/4,906) of CEUS examinations. During the same time period, 31 studies with the intravesical use of UCA were conducted in 12,362 children. A few non-serious adverse events were encountered (0.31%; 38/12,362), but these were most likely attributable to the bladder catheterization rather than the UCA. Other developing clinical applications of UCA in children, including intracavitary and intralymphatic, are ongoing. To date, no serious adverse events have been reported with these applications. This article reviews the existing pediatric CEUS literature and provides an overview of safety-related information reported from UCA uses in children.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound of the spleen, pancreas and gallbladder in children

Gray-scale and color/power Doppler ultrasound (US) are the first-line imaging modalities to evaluate the spleen, gallbladder and pancreas in children. The increasing use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) as a reliable and safe method to evaluate liver lesions in the pediatric population promises potential for imaging other internal organs. Although CEUS applications of the spleen, gallbladder and pancreas have been well described in adults, they have not been fully explored in children. In this manuscript, we present an overview of the applications of CEUS for normal variants and diseases affecting the spleen, gallbladder and pancreas. We highlight a variety of cases as examples of how CEUS can serve in the diagnosis and follow-up for such diseases in children. Our discussion includes specific examination techniques; presentation of the main imaging findings in various benign and malignant lesions of the spleen, gallbladder and pancreas in children; and acknowledgment of the limitations of CEUS for these organs.

Can contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) be useful in the diagnosis of ovarian torsion in pediatric females? A preliminary monocentric experience

PURPOSE

To describe contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) characteristics of ovarian torsion in pediatric females, assessing the potential diagnostic advantages of method as well as its limitations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study design was used. Between January 2018 and December 2020 we analyzed all pediatric females who underwent explorative surgery with a suspected diagnosis of ovarian torsion, and who were previously evaluated by conventional ultrasound (US), color-Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) and CEUS.

RESULTS

We examined twenty pediatric females with a median age of 12 years. US identified 9/20 ovarian complex masses against 13/20 by CEUS. At US abdominal free fluid was shown in 13/20 patients and in 18/20 cases with CEUS. In our case series the evaluation of contrast enhancement at CEUS in the detection of ovarian torsions revealed a sensitivity of 94.1%, a specificity of 100% and an overall accuracy of 95%.

CONCLUSION

Although there is a known ultrasound semeiotics suggestive of ovarian torsion, it is not always possible to obtain a diagnosis of certainty with conventional US even with CDUS. The study reports that complementation with CEUS showed excellent agreement with surgery obtaining a diagnosis in almost all the pediatric females examined.

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) in Non-Traumatic Abdominal Emergencies

Conventional ultrasound imaging (US) is the first-line investigation in acute non-traumatic abdominal emergencies, but sometimes it needs further examinations, such as computed tomography (CT), to reach a certain diagnosis. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), through injection of contrast medium, may provide the radiologist with additional information that could not be investigated with baseline US. It could help reach a diagnosis and rapidly determine the proper therapy in an emergency setting. The purpose of this review is to explain and illustrate the various possibilities and limitations of CEUS in acute non-traumatic abdominal diseases, in particular acute inflammation, parenchymal infarcts, and hemorrhages.

Torsion of an Accessory Spleen in a Child With Biliary Atresia Splenic Malformation Syndrome

Torsion of an accessory spleen is an exceedingly rare cause of abdominal pain in pediatric patients. The diagnosis is frequently challenging as presentation is variable and diagnostic imaging can be aspecific. The current case describes an unusual presentation of a torted accessory spleen in a 5-year-old girl with biliary atresia splenic malformation syndrome who initially presented with non-specific abdominal symptoms and fever. The diagnosis was made following fine-needle aspiration of a suspected intraabdominal abscess. The case highlights the diagnostic challenge of accessory splenic torsion and stresses the importance of its inclusion on the differential diagnosis of pediatric patients, especially those with known splenic or laterality abnormalities, presenting with both acute and sub-acute abdominal symptoms.

A rare case of non-traumatic intrasplenic pseudoaneurysms in a patient with acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia

Pseudoaneurysm (PSA) or false aneurysm is a vascular lesion resulting from a focal and incomplete rupture of the arterial wall (intimate and/or elastic lamina), that allows blood to escape into the arterial wall; this small contained break causes a contained collection of blood and the creation of a "new" less resistant vessel wall, consisting of adventitia and perivascular tissues. Intrasplenic pseudoaneurysms are rare and more frequently recognize traumatic origin, sometimes are also unexpected lesions due to non-recent trauma. In contrast, non-traumatic intrasplenic pseudoaneurysms are rare complications usually due to splenic infarction, infiltration by malignant systemic disorders, infectious process, chronic pancreatitis, and arteritis. Both traumatic and non-traumatic PSA are potentially life threatening, known to cause spontaneous rupture of the spleen with massive hemoperitoneum. Contrast-enhanced CT is the gold standard technique to detect splenic PSA; however, it is important to know how to recognize it also with other imaging methods such as with ultrasound (US) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). US and CEUS can be often the first-line diagnostic techniques and allow to detect these lesions; they are also very useful in the follow-up. Our case report can be a reminder of the utility of the US and CEUS in detecting splenic pseudoaneurysms, which are potentially a life-threatening complication; we also recall the semiotics of these lesions with baseline ultrasound (US), color Doppler US and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Then, we highlight the role of contrast-enhanced CT in confirming the diagnosis and we report about the diagnostic and therapeutic value of angiography. We have to think about the possibility of a pseudoaneurysm even in the absence of a recent trauma, associated with other conditions such as a lymphoproliferative disease.