The Recognition and Incidence of Splenic Artery Aneurysms

AbstractCalcified splenic artery aneurysms will be frequently detected if there is an awareness of their radiographic appearances. These calcified aneurysms occur most frequently in elderly females over the age of 50 years and in patients with liver disease. They may appear as large, multiple, overlapping curvilinear ring and ovoid shadows in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen at the level of D.12/L.1, or as single ring shadows anywhere along the line of the splenic artery.These shadows frequently represent completely calcified, thrombosed splenic artery aneurysms. They may also appear as smaller (0.5 cm) round shadows more heavily calcified within. These occur near the hilum of the spleen. It is estimated that these appearances will be found in approximately 2.5% of females over the age of 50 years. Calcified aneurysms are also found in patients with liver disease over the age of 50 years. These calcified aneurysms are almost always asymptomatic and benign and require no further treatment or investigation unless left upper quadrant pain is present.