Splenomegaly

[Little_Girl]

Splenomegaly is abnormal enlargement of the spleen.
(See also Overview of the Spleen.)
Splenomegaly is almost always secondary to other disorders. Causes of splenomegaly are myriad, as are the many possible ways of classifying them (see table Common Causes of Splenomegaly). In temperate climates, the most common causes are

Myeloproliferative neoplasms
Lymphoproliferative disorders
Storage diseases (eg, Gaucher disease)
Connective tissue disorders

In the tropics, the most common causes are

Infectious diseases (eg, malaria, visceral leishmaniasis)

If splenomegaly is massive (spleen palpable 8 cm below the costal margin), the cause is usually chronic lymphocytic leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, chronic myeloid leukemia, polycythemia vera, primary myelofibrosis, Gaucher disease, or hairy cell leukemia.
Splenomegaly can lead to cytopenias, a disorder called hypersplenism.

[Raeanne Dimick]

Abnormal enlargement of the spleen.