Splenosis mimicking tumor recurrence in renal cell carcinoma: Detection onselective spleen scintigraphy

A 2-year-old boy had been operated on for a giant renal cell carcinoma incl uding splenectomy because of disrupture of the splenic capsule. During a fo llow-up examination, 3 nodules were detected by ultrasound in the splenoren al area. This gave reason to suspect tumor recurrence. Considering the poss ibility of splenosis, a selective spleen scan using denatured red blood cel ls was performed as a final diagnostic step. This method confirmed the nodu les as representing splenic tissue. Splenosis should be included in the dif ferential diagnosis of solid masses in the postsplenectomy patient. Copyrig ht (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.