RADIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF A SYMPTOMATIC SPLENIC HAMARTOMA

Symptomatic splenic hamartomas are rare in the pediatric age group, wi th only four previous reports in the literature. Splenic hamartoma has been reported as a solid homogeneous mass without calcification on CT and ultrasound (US), and only one previous report of the findings on MRI has been published. We report a case of a large symptomatic spleni c hamartoma in a 14-year-old girl who presented with splenomegaly, pan cytopenia and growth retardation. A solid mass with multiple punctate foci resembling calcifications was seen on US. The mass was heterogene ous and better demarcated on enhanced CT. Radiocolloid scintigraphy de monstrated uptake within the lesion, but less than that of normal sple en. The mass was isointense relative to normal splenic tissue on T1-we ighted MRI (0.5 T) and of increased intensity with T2 weighting. At sp lenectomy, a red pulp hamartoma was identified, which contained nodule s of hyalinization and necrosis thought to account for the punctate fo ci seen on US.