A case of aneurysm of the splenic artery visualized by dynamic ultrasonography

The possibility of using ultrasound to visualize the coeliac axis and its main branches, the splenic and common hepatic arteries, has already been extensively documented (Carlsen and Filly, 1976; Filly and Carlsen, 1976; Goldberg and Perlmutter, 1977; Skolnick and Royal, 1976). Using real time equipment we have identified a spherical echo-free space close to the origin of the splenic artery in a patient with undiagnosed abdominal pain. The ultrasound findings led us to suspect the presence of an aneurysm, which was subsequently confirmed, and surgical removal relieved the patient's symptoms. We are unaware of any other previous case report of a similar aneurysm diagnosed by ultrasound, with the exception of a mycotic aneurysm of the hepatic artery (Sukerkar, 1977).