The relationship between splenic length in healthy children from the Eastern Anatolia Region and sex, age, body height and weight

PURPOSES: The normal limits of spleen size must be known in order for pathological changes to be noticed. The aim of this retrospective study is to determine the normal limits of spleen size in healthy children and to reveal their relation to sex, age, body height and weight. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three hundred and ten children (150 girls and 160 boys) between 0–16 years of age in Eastern Anatolia Region who had normal spleen ultrasound appearances were included in this study. The greatest longitudinal distance of the spleen from the dome to the tip (splenic length) measured at the hilum in the coronal plane was obtained by ultrasonography. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the sexes in children. Also, no statistically significant differences were found between the two sexes in any age group for splenic length (t-test, p > 0.05). Therefore, all data were rearranged without being separated according to sex. The correlation analysis has shown a positive and significant correlation between splenic length and age, body height, and weight, with high correlation coefficients (r > 0.80). Splenic length showed the strongest correlation with body height. CONCLUSION: In children clinically suspected of organomegaly, splenic length can be used to assess organ size. The presented data can be applied to routine ultrasonography examinations.