Splenic mass of uncertain etiology in a 15‐year‐old male patient: a case report

BACKGROUND: There are few reports on spleen masses, and solitary splenic abscesses with abdominal pain have not been reported in younger age groups. We report a case of a splenic mass of uncertain etiology in a 15‐year‐old boy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 15‐year‐old boy visited the emergency department with abdominal pain. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a thin‐walled multilobular splenic cyst. Computed tomography revealed a cystic shadow and a septate structure in the spleen. Magnetic resonance imaging examination revealed a high‐signal region on the T2‐weighted image. The neutrophil ratio in the white blood cell count of 8,330/µL was high (80%), and splenic abscess could not be ruled out. Thus, therapy with 2 g/day fosfomycin was initiated. Abdominal pain disappeared on day 3 of hospital stay, and the patient was discharged on day 8. CONCLUSION: Antibiotic therapy can be effective against very acute onset splenic abscesses, although surgical treatment is usually carried out.