Spleen

The spleen is a highly vascular organ typically found in the left upper quadrant with unique enhancement characteristics and various pathologies that may result in differing enhancement patterns, diffuse enlargement, or cysts/masses within its parenchyma. It is affected by many systemic processes such as vascular disorders, infections, or malignancies like lymphoma, and it is also an organ often impacted by blunt abdominal trauma. Masses within the spleen are often nonspecific and difficult to characterize due to overlapping characteristics seen on CT and MRI, though the majority of splenic masses are benign. Congenital findings within the spleen and splenosis following splenectomy are important to recognize as they may mimic other pathologies. This chapter will discuss the normal anatomy and the various pathologies seen within the spleen.