Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 19, Issue 8 543-547, Copyright © 2000 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Diagnostic accuracy of abdominal ultrasonography compared to magnetic resonance imaging in siderosis of the spleen
Y. L. Chan, W. T. Yang, J. J. Sung, Y. T. Lee and S. S. Chung
Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Organ Imaging, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hopsital, Shatin, People's Republic of China.
A prospective study to compare the diagnostic performance of
ultrasonography with magnetic resonance imaging using gradient-recalled
echo technique in cases of siderosis of spleen was conducted in 53
cirrhotic patients with endoscopic proof of gastroesophageal varices. Of
the 34 patients with splenic siderosis on MR imaging, punctate hyperechoic
foci were detected in the spleen on ultrasonography in 24 patients. Using
MR imaging as the reference standard for the diagnosis of splenic
siderosis, the sensitivity of ultrasonography is 70.6%; specificity is
78.9%; positive predictive value is 85.7%; and negative predictive value is
40%. We conclude that ultrasonography is a fairly accurate technique in the
diagnosis of splenic siderosis.
