Selective spleen scintigraphy in the diagnosis of polysplenia syndrome.

This report describes a case of polysplenia syndrome diagnosed by selective spleen scintigraphy. This syndrome is rarely encountered in the elderly. It is characterized by multiple splenuncules with a number of associated congenital anomalies involving the cardiovascular system and the viscera. The differential diagnosis of these intra-abdominal masses can sometimes be difficult and can be confused with lymphadenopathy or metastases. Furthermore, biopsy of the splenuncules may be hazardous. The diagnosis of polysplenia can be established in most instances by (99)Tc(m) labelled heat-denatured red blood cell selective spleen scintigraphy without biopsy.