Splenic extramedullary hematopoiesis in dogs is frequently detected on multiphase multidetector-row CT as hypervascular nodules.

Abstract

Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) is the formation and development of blood cells outside the bone marrow, and in dogs it frequently occurs in the spleen. Although splenic EMH is a relatively common condition, data regarding its appearance in veterinary medicine are lacking. Our aim was to describe different multidetector computed tomographic (MDCT) features of splenic EMH in dogs. In this descriptive retrospective study, dogs with cytological diagnosis of splenic EMH and three-phase MDCT study of the abdomen were included. Multi-detector CT findings recorded were splenomegaly, appearance of the parenchyma, and mean attenuation of the spleen and lesions. Out of 89 dogs included, 55 (62%) presented multifocal nodular aspect, 14 (16%) mass, 12 (13%) diffuse heterogeneous parenchyma, and eight (9%) normal spleen. Most lesions were hyperattenuating to the parenchyma in the arterial (57/89, 64%) and portal (59/89, 66%) phases; whereas in the interstitial phase only 40 of 89 (45%) were hyperattenuating. The mean attenuations of the lesions were higher compared to the values of the adjacent spleen, and the difference of the mean attenuation between the hyperattenuating lesions and the parenchyma was significantly higher in arterial and portal phases than in interstitial phase (P<.0001). The most frequent MDCT aspect of splenic extramedullary hematopoiesis consists of multiple nodules hyperattenuating to the normal spleen, best visualized in the arterial and portal phases.