Splenic hamartoma: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Splenic hamartoma is a rare benign malformation, composed of an anomalous mixture of normal splenic elements, often found incidentally while working up other complaints or at autopsy. A splenic mass was incidentally found while evaluating the effects of a traffic accident in a 63-year-old woman. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a well-defined splenic mass with rim enhancement. The patient underwent splenectomy. The resected spleen contained a well-defined mass lesion measuring 3.5 cm × 3.0 cm. Microscopic examination revealed disorganized slit-like vascular channels lined by plump endothelial cells without atypia. The cells lining the vascular channels were positive for CD8, CD31, CD34 and vimentin. Endothelial cells that are positive for CD8 are a key feature that differentiates hamartoma from other vascular lesions of the spleen. Although this tumor is very rare, it must be included in the differential diagnosis of splenic mass-forming lesions.

Littoral cell angioma of the spleen: a study of 25 cases with confirmation of frequent association with visceral malignancies

“…An association of splenic hamartoma with visceral malignancy has been documented . Endothelial cells that are positive for CD8 constitute a key feature that differentiates hamartoma from other vascular lesions of the spleen …”

“…45 Endothelial cells that are positive for CD8 constitute a key feature that differentiates hamartoma from other vascular lesions of the spleen. 46 SANT is a distinctive entity that is unique to the spleen. Its main characteristic is a striking multinodular growth pattern, with the concentric hyaline shells surrounding individual angiomatoid nodules, and inflamed fibrotic to sclerotic stroma between the nodules.…”

Asymptomatic multinodular splenoma (splenic hamartoma) in a child with sickle cell anemia

“…Its reported surgical incidence reaches three cases out of 200,000 splenectomies. Incidence ranges from 0.024% to 0.13% at autopsy 3,4. Hamartoma means “scribal error or mistake”; it is a tumor-like disorderly proliferation of cells and tissues indigenous to the site in which the hamartoma is located.…”

A rare case of a splenic hamartoma in a patient with a huge palpable abdominal mass: a case report

“…Hemangioma is the most common benign tumor of the spleen, arising from endothelial cells of the sinusoids and usually measuring less than 2cm [ 6 ]. Littoral cell angioma is a rare vascular tumor, arising from littoral cells of the splenic sinuses [ 4 , 7 , 8 ]. This rare lesion was first described in 1991 and histological findings demonstrate anastomosing vascular channels lined by cells positive to both endothelial and histiocytic markers.…”