Primary hemangiosarcoma of the spleen diagnosed by needle biopsy.

Abstract

Splenic aspiration, apparently used first in France for the cultural demonstration of typhoid bacilli more than 50 years ago, has been employed in the diagnosis of various hematological disorders by many European investigators. 1a Only recently has its use been advocated in this country by Block and Jacobson 2 and by Morrison and his co-workers. 3a It is the purpose of this report to present an instance in which splenic biopsy was the only means of diagnosing a primary splenic tumor. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in the literature in which the diagnosis of hemangiosarcoma originating in the spleen was established prior to the removal of the organ on the operating table or at autopsy. Several cases, however, have been reported in which lymphosarcoma and reticulum cell sarcoma of the spleen were diagnosed by splenic aspiration. 1 REPORT OF A CASE The patient was a 62-year-old