Abdomen Sonography: Spleen - Video Lesson

Welcome back everyone. In this abdominal ultrasound lesson, we will be exploring the spleen, a structure that often gets overlooked, yet plays an important role in both vascular and immune function. We'll review the normal anatomy and sonographic appearance of the spleen. This is essential not only for interpreting splenic pathology, but also for distinguishing the spleen from other nearby abdominal structures during ultrasound exams. Let's begin with its anatomy and location. The spleen is a soft crescent shaped organ located in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen, tucked beneath the left hemidiaphragm and protected by the ninth through eleventh ribs. It sits posterior and lateral to the stomach and tail of the pancreas with the left kidney and splenic flexure of the colon lying just below it. The spleen is held in place by the splenorenal ligament, which connects it to the left kidney, and the gastrosplenic ligament, which attaches it to the stomach.