Transient splenomegaly in acute pancreatitis.

Serial changes in splenic volume of 25 patients (18 men and seven women; 53.4 +/- 20.8 years old, range 25-83) with acute pancreatitis who underwent CT examinations were retrospectively studied. Abdominal CT was performed within 3 days after the onset and there was at least one follow-up CT examination after this time. The percentage changes of splenic volume in the first (4-30 days) and second (31-100 days) follow-up CT were calculated. Splenic volume increased in the first follow-up CT (mean +/- SD: 197.8 +/- 121.0 cm3) compared with the initial CT (124.8 +/- 70.0; p < 0.0001), and then decreased in the second follow-up CT (179.7 +/- 100.7; p < 0.002). The average splenic volume increased 65.5 +/- 88.7% (range -10.4-377.4%) between the initial and first follow-up CT examinations. Five of 25 cases (20%) in whom size of spleen increased more than twice had severe acute pancreatitis (p < 0.05), complicated pseudocyst requiring surgical drainage (p < 0.05), pleural effusion (p < 0.01), splenic vein thrombos...