Spleen Physiology
Type of cell that the spleen produces throughout life.
What are white blood cells?
The normal long axis measurement of the spleen lies within this range.
What is 8-13cm?
The normal spleen should appear isoechoic or hypoechoic when compared to this organ.
What is the liver?
This splenic blood supplying vessel originates from the celiac artery.
What is the splenic artery?
An abnormally low number of leukocytes.
What is leukopenia?
The process of removing undesirable inclusions from RBC's without damaging the cells.
What is pitting?
With the exception of the splenic hilum, the spleen is entirely covered by this.
What is peritoneum?
The normal spleen should have this texture.
What is homogeneous and smooth?
The blood leaving the spleen enters into this system via the splenic vein.
What is the portal venous system?
This lab value indicates the percentage of red blood cells per volume of blood.
What is hematocrit?
The spleen can attribute its ability to serve as a blood reservoir to its high content of this.
smooth muscle
Small openings which allow normal pliable red blood cells to pass through are located in this splenic structure.
What are venous sinuses?
The most common location for accessory spleen.
What is the splenic hilum?
Before reaching the spleen, the splenic artery branches into short gastric branches supplying the greater curvature of the stomach as well as branches to this organ.
What is the pancreas?
The most common use for spleen ultrasound is the detection of this.
What is splenomegaly?
This term is used to describe the production of red blood cells.
What is hematopoiesis?
The red pulp is filled with these cells which destroy abnormal RBC's.
What are macrophages?
This rare congenital abnormality may be associated with congenital heart defects.
What is asplenia?
The medially located portion of the spleen where the vasculature enters and exits.
What is the splenic hilum?
This lab value is indicative of infection of the blood.
What is leukocytosis?
The four major functions of the spleen.
What are defense, hematopoiesis, RBC and platelet destruction, and blood reservoir?
Small nodular masses of lymphatic tissue within the white pulp that contain white blood cells.
What are malpighian corpuscles?
The most common splenic abnormality.
What is splenomegaly?
The splenic artery branches at the splenic hilum into these vessels.
What are lobar arterial branches?
Sonography of the spleen can be applied to assess spleen size, splenic masses, and this.
What is splenic damage from blunt trauma?