The Spleen

Question 1

The spleen’s main function is to?

Answer 1

Filter peripheral blood

Question 2

The spleen is active in blood formation (_________) during the intial part of fetal life.

Answer 2

Hematopoiesis

Question 3

Where does the spleen lie?

Answer 3

In the left hypochondrium - with its axis along the shaft of the 10th rib.

Question 4

The spleen is a _______ _______ which is covered entirely with _________ except for a small area at it’s __________, where the _______ __________ and ________ _______ are located.

Answer 4

peritoneal organ, 
peritoneum, 
hilum,
vascular structures,
lymph nodes

Question 5

Variable size and shape ~

Answer 5

“Orange segment,” tetrahedral or triangular

Question 6

The spleen’s normal measurements for an average adult are ______?

Answer 6

12 cm long, 7 cm wide,

and 3 - 4 cm thick

Question 7

_______ ________ covers the spleen with peritoneum.

Answer 7

Protective capsule

Question 8

The “_______ ______” of the spleen can be helpful in distinguising intraperitoneal from ______ _______ _______.

Answer 8

“bare area”

pleural fluid collections

Question 9

The splenorenal ligament is?

Answer 9

Peritoneal ligament that attatches the spleen to the stomach and the kidneys.

Question 10

The gastrosplenic ligament is?

Answer 10

Composed of two layers of the dorsal mesentery that seperate the lesser sac posteriorly from the greater sac

Question 11

The gastrosplenic ligament is composed of ____ layers or the _____ _______ that seperate the _____ ____ posteriorly from the _____ ____ anteriorly

Answer 11

two,
dorsal mesentery,
lesser sac,
greater sac

Question 12

The splenorenal ligament is a _____ ligament that attatches the _______ to the _______ and the _______.

Answer 12

peritoneal,
spleen,
stomach,
kidney

Question 13

The spleenic artery enters the _______ _______ and immediately branches into ____ smaller arteries to supply the spleen with ________ _______ to profuse the splenic ________.

Answer 13

splenic hilum,
six,
oxygenated blood,
parenchyma

Question 14

The spleenic artery trravels along the ________ border of the _______.

Answer 14

superior,

pancreas

Question 15

The splenic vein leaves the ______ in a ________ direction to join the ________ ________ _______.

Answer 15

hilum,
horizontal,
superior mesenteric vein

Question 16

The splenic vein travels along the ________ border of the _________.

Answer 16

posterior

pancreas

Question 17

_______ vessels emerge from the ________ _______, pass through other _______ ______ along the course of the _______ _______, and drain into the _______ ________.

Answer 17

Lymph,
splenic hilum,
lymph nodes,
splenic artery,
celiac nodes

Question 18

The spleen is the _______ _______ organ.

Answer 18

largest lymphoid

Question 19

The spleen filters ______ cells, _______ and ______ ______.

Answer 19

damaged,
microorganisms,
particulate matter

Question 20

_______ to the spleen accompany the splenic artery and are derived from the _______ ______.

Answer 20

Nerves,

celiac plexus

Question 21

The left kidney and the adrenal gland are ______ and ______to the spleen.

Answer 21

inferior,

medial

Question 22

What is above and also behind the spleen?

Answer 22

diaphragm, left pleuria, left lung and the 8th - 11th ribs

Question 23

What is medial and anterior to the splenic hilum?

Answer 23

fundus of the stomach, the lesser sac, and the pancreatic tail

Question 24

The left kidney and the adrenal gland are ______ and _______ to the spleen.

Answer 24

inferior, medial

Question 25

Which ligaments hold the spleen in place? | 3 ligaments

Answer 25

lienorenal, gastrosplenic, and phrenocolic ligaments

Question 26

If there is a mass in the upper left quadrant, how may it affect the spleen?

Answer 26

It may be displaced inferiorly.

Question 27

______ displacement may be secondary to a ______ ______, ______ ______, or a _____ ______ ______. (towards the feet)

Answer 27

Caudal, (feet) subclavian abscess, splenic cyst, left pleural effusion

Question 28

_____ displacement may result from volume loss in the _____ ______, left lobe ______, paralysis of the left__________, or a large ___________ mass. (towards the head)

Answer 28

``` Cephalic, (head) left lung, pneumonia, hemidiaphragm, intraabdominal ```

Question 29

What is a spleen which has migrated from its normal location in the left upper quadrant?

Answer 29

"Wandering spleen"

Question 30

A "wandering spleen" may present what symptoms?

Answer 30

abdominal or pelvic mass, intermittent pain, and volvulus* (splenic torsion)

Question 31

Congenital anomalies include:

Answer 31

asplenia or splenic agensis (no spleen), polysplenia, visceral heterotaxy

Question 32

Polysplenia is associated with ______ left upper quadrant _______, absent _______ and ______ defects.

Answer 32

multiple, spleens, gallbladder, cardiac

Question 33

Visceral heterotaxy is the _________ placement or transportation of ________ or parts. Spectrum of ______ disorders. Due to early _______ disturbances that occur prior to the ____ week of gestation.

Answer 33

anomalous, viscera, embryologic, 6th

Question 34

Situs solitus is ______ arrangement of asymmetric body parts.

Answer 34

Normal

Question 35

Situs invertsus is the ______ image or situs solitus.

Answer 35

mirror (flipped)

Question 36

Situs ambiguous is the ________ of the development of normal asymmetric arrangement of the abdominal _______ and _____.

Answer 36

disruption, organs, vessels

Question 37

Patients with asplenia (no spleen) may have _______ _______ sidedness.

Answer 37

bilateral right

Question 38

Patients with polysplenia have _________ ______ sidedness.

Answer 38

bilateral left | polysplenia - multiple spleens

Question 39

An accessory spleen (splenunculus) is usually found where?

Answer 39

Near the hilum or the inferior border of the spleen. (additional spleens = accessory spleens)

Question 40

The spleen is ___ ______ to life.

Answer 40

not necessary

Question 41

The spleen filters _______ materials from the _____, and forms _______.

Answer 41

foriegn, blood, antibodies

Question 42

The spleen is a ____ organ with ______ properties that allow it to distend as blood fills the ______ sinuses. These characteristics are related to the spleen's function as a ______ ______

Answer 42

soft, elastic, venous, blood reservoir

Question 43

In the lobules of the spleen, there are tissues which are called _____

Answer 43

pulp

Question 44

________ pulp consists of ______ nodules, which are similar to those found in ______ nodes and contain ______ numbers of _______; the _________ of the spleen help defend the body against ________.

Answer 44

``` White, splenic, lymph, large, lymphocytes lymphocytes, infections ```

Question 45

______ pulp contains relatively _______ numbers of _____ ______ cells.

Answer 45

Red, large, red blood

Question 46

In ______, the major portion of the hemoglobin breakdown occurs in the spleen

Answer 46

splenomegaly

Question 47

Phagocytosis of ______ and the breakdown of ______ occur throughout the entire reticuloendothelial system, however roughly _____ _____ the catabolic activity is localized in the normal _______.

Answer 47

erythrocytes, (red blood cells) hemoglobin, one half spleen

Question 48

in anomalies such as the hemolytic anemias, the splenic phagocytes become ______ with ______ when erythrocyte destruction is _______.

Answer 48

engorged, hemosiderin, accelerated

Question 49

______ is the process of removing the ______ from the red blood cells.

Answer 49

Pitting, | nuclei

Question 50

______ is the process by which the spleen removes ________ _____ ______ cells.

Answer 50

Culling, | abnormal red blood

Question 51

________ indicates the percentage of red blood cells per volume of blood.

Answer 51

Hematocrit

Question 52

Abnormally low readings of _____ indicate hemorrhage or internal bleeding.

Answer 52

hematocrit

Question 53

______ indicates the presence of bacteria within the body.

Answer 53

Bacteremia

Question 54

The term ______ indicates ________ in the bloodstream

Answer 54

sepsis, | bacteria

Question 55

Leukocytosis - the increase in the number of ______ cells present in the blood is usually a typical finding in _______.

Answer 55

white, | infection

Question 56

Leukopenia is an abnormal ______ in _____ blood corpuscles.

Answer 56

decrease, | white

Question 57

Thrombocytopenia is the abnormal ________ in ______.

Answer 57

decrease, | platelets

Question 58

The splenic parenchyma should have a fine uniform __________ ____ to ____ level echo pattern, as is seen in the ______ parenchyma.

Answer 58

homogeneous, mid, low, liver

Question 59

The spleen has ____ components joined at the hilum: _______ component and an _______ component.

Answer 59

2, superomedial, inferolateral

Question 60

Formula for splenic length in children: | do not have to know for test

Answer 60

5.7 + (0.31 x age in years)

Question 61

_________ is diagnosed, when the spleen measures more than ___ cm in the adult patient or more than the normal length in a child.

Answer 61

Splenomegaly, | 13

Question 62

Patient position and technique

Answer 62

right lateral decubitus (right side down, left side up)