Focal splenic lesions: The value of ultrasound guided biopsies after contrast enhanced ultrasound in correlation with clinical informations

Purpose: Due to the high rate of benign splenic lesions which do not require whether further workup nor follow up it is necessary to preselect patients which benefit from a histological confirmation. We could show that hypoenhancement in the late phase of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) predicts malignancy in a high percentage of patients. Percutaneous biopsy poses a risk of severe complications but has shown to be similarly safe as liver biopsy. Splenectomy should not be considered as a first choice treatment since it is associated with a higher rate of complications than formerly assumed. Material and meth…