Diagnostic Approaches to Hematopoietic Disorders of the Spleen and Liver

The spleen is the largest lymphoid tissue in the human body and is composed of red and white pulp along with the supporting stroma. It is an important organ for filtration, immune regulation, and hematopoiesis during fetal development. Although the intact immune modulation from the spleen would protect human beings from diseases, there are a number of primary and secondary hematologic malignancies that may occur when immunity of the spleen is compromised or overridden by other processes. Additional non-hematopoietic diseases affecting the spleen include, but are not limited to, viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections, sarcoidosis, and storage disorders; these diseases may sometimes mimic primary hematologic neoplasms. The chapter will focus on conventional diagnostic approaches to hematologic disorders of the liver and spleen, mainly including gross and microscopic examination and immunophenotyping. Biopsy indications and histology processes have also been discussed.