Lymphangioma of the spleen in an elderly patient

Abstract

Splenic cystic lymphangioma is a very rare condition, and is classified among cystic proliferations of the spleen. It is considered to be the result of a developmental malformation of the lymphatic system and can involve the spleen alone or be a part of multiorgan disease. It is usually seen in children, often found incidentally. We describe a case of cystic lymphangioma of the spleen in an elderly woman putting emphasis on the rarity of the case in old age, and on the problems of differential diagnosis with the other cystic proliferations of the spleen, in particular hydatid disease, in the absence of histologic information.