The spleen is a fist-sized organ located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen, tucked beneath the rib cage next to the stomach and above the left kidney. It functions as a filter for the blood, removing old or damaged red blood cells, and plays an important role in the immune system by producing white blood cells and antibodies. On ultrasound, the normal spleen has a homogeneous echotexture that is slightly more echogenic (brighter) than the kidney and slightly less echogenic than the liver. Sonographers measure spleen length (normally up to about 12 centimeters in adults) to evaluate for splenomegaly. Ultrasound also assesses the spleen for focal lesions such as cysts, infarcts, hemangiomas, lymphoma deposits, and traumatic lacerations or hematomas.
Sonography Term