Hamartoma - a rare benign tumor of the spleen: a report of four cases.

Splenic hamartoma is an uncommon benign tumor. We retrospectively analyzed all patients who underwent splenectomy between May 2000 and June 2006 and four cases of splenic hamartoma were encountered. Three patients presented with mild abdominal pain. Abdominal ultrasonography was the first diagnostic step, which revealed a splenic mass. Doppler ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance were among the other diagnostic methods. An elective splenectomy was performed for all of the cases. Splenic hamartoma must be considered in the differential diagnosis of splenic masses unrelated to any other malignancy. Elective splenectomy is indicated due to hematological disorders or symptoms of pain and appreciation of the mass.