Assessment of normal splenic volume by Computed Tomography in Nepalese population

Abstract

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to assess the normal splenic volume in Nepalese population by Computed Tomography and its variability with age, sex and body habitus.

Methods: This was a cross sectional observational study involving 264 patients undergoing CT abdomen examination for pathologies not pertaining to spleen, in Department of Radiology, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. The spleen volume was obtained by adding cross-sectional area of spleen from 10 mm contiguous CT slices in axial CT images and multiplying them with the slice thickness. The relationships between spleen volume and age, sex and body habitus were also derived.

Results: The mean splenic volume was 151.20 cm3 ± 59.62 cm3, ranging from 25.95 cm3 to 331.66 cm3. Weak negative correlation of spleen volume with age (r = -0.173, p <0.01) and body habitus (r = -0.132, p <0.05) were also noted. No significant correlation of spleen volume with gender was noted.

Conclusion: The finding provided defining the criteria for splenomegaly. The mean splenic size in Nepalese population is similar and/or larger compared to Asian population, and smaller compared to western population. However a larger sample size is required for corroboration of our findings