What is a Spleen Hemangioma?

While looking for something else. mine was found. I learned it was benign after biopsy. My oncologist was willing to remove it, but I said if it is similar to a birthmark I can live with it, being 63 at the time. Getting a medical bracelet makes sense. The scan was a show and tell in the office though. It looks like spots on a leopard.

Question for anon343584. How did you make out? I am going through the same exact thing, dizziness and all. My doctor wants a follow up MRI in 3 months.

I have several hemangiomas in my spleen and liver. Most doctors want to remove the spleen. My largest hemangioma is 9cm. I was told by a new doctor today that the Mayo Clinic has done studies and used a gel substance and injected it into the vein feeding the hemangioma and closed it off and the hemangioma shrinks and goes away over time. I would prefer this treatment over removal of my spleen. If anyone has info regarding this procedure I'd appreciate any information you have. Thank you.

I have been diagnosed as having SANT- Schlerosing Angiomatoid Nodular Transformation of the Spleen - looks very similar to Hemangioma. It was diagnosed by accident hematology via scans. My ESR had been raised and I am sometimes anemic so was sent down hematology path. There is no evidence of any hematological disorders.

I have been referred now to a consultant surgeon who specializes in spleen/ liver conditions but he has never heard of SANT and wants to remove the spleen as a precaution. I would like to know if many people with Hemangioma just monitor the lesion as I would rather keep it if possible . Also, I wonder whether it has been found in any/many autopsy's as a cause of death. As it is usually diagnosed by accident whilst investigating other problems could it be that it is more common and just not found?

I was diagnosed in april 2009 with a splenic hemangioma. Mine ranges between 7 - 9cm diameter. I had it scanned every six months then yearly. It hasn't grown. The doctors are happy to remove it, but the only time I get any pain from it is when I am pregnant.

My sister-in-law had her spleen removed when she was 16 and her immune system has suffered terribly from it. She gets ill very easily and when she does, she gets really ill. I plan to hold onto mine (spleen) as long as possible or until they find a way to treat it without removal.

As long as I stay away from contact sports like skiing or martial arts, then I am not at a high risk of rupture. I have also decided to get a medi alert bracelet so if anything happens to me (like a car accident) they will know to check for internal bleeding first. Hope this helps someone.

In May 2013, a hemangioma was found on my spleen. The report says: "A large splenic mass lesion with enhancing pattern suggestive of a hemangioma 4X3.6X3.6CM indistinguishable in the delayed phase."

Sometimes it bothers me on the left side. I also feel nauseated and dizzy and my body starts to feel off. My doctor said to wait six months for a follow up. Do you think that is the best choice or should he have taken care of it right away because of its size and also because of the symptoms I am having.

@turkay1-- I don't think every doctor decides on surgery immediately when a hemangioma is found in the spleen. My doctor didn't. My hemangioma was small, so she had me wait six months and have another scan to see if there was any change. Unfortunately, it was found to be growing so I did end up having my spleen removed. But if it hadn't been growing, I would have probably just gone for check-ups every six months.

It might also make a difference where exactly in the spleen the hemangioma is located though, as well as the shape and structure of it. I'm sure your husband's doctor has considered all of these factors before suggesting surgery. But if you are worried, you can always get a second opinion with another doctor. It's my understanding that spleen hemangioma treatment usually means spleen removal though.

@turkay1-- I'm not an expert but I think that the spleen has to be removed because the doctor can't be sure that the hemangioma is not cancerous. Hemangioma is an abnormal growth, so it's a tumor. It doesn't have to be malignant, but since the spleen can't be biopsied, a doctor cannot be one hundred percent sure. That is why the spleen is removed as a preventative measure.

I think the main issue after a splenectomy (spleen removal surgery) is that the person is at a higher risk for infections. The spleen plays a very important role in protecting us from infections. So someone who has had their spleen removed has to watch out for early signs of infection and get treatment for it right away. As long as infections are prevented and kept under control, not having a spleen doesn't pose a major risk for health.

If the spleen is so vital to the body, what happens when the spleen is removed because of a hemangioma? How will the red cells be stored and how will the old cells be filtered? Isn't there any way to treat a hemangioma without removing the spleen?

My husband was told told last week that he has a spleen hemangioma which was discovered while he was being examined for something else. The doctor is planning on removing his spleen in a couple of weeks.

My husband is not the one to ask many questions, so I'm trying to find out more about what a spleen hemangioma is and what can be done about it. Of course, we will follow whatever the doctor recommends. But considering that the hemangioma is not cancerous, I don't understand why it's necessary to remove the spleen altogether.