Morgenstern classified nonparasitic splenic cysts based on pathogenesis. The author is from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLA School of Medicine in Los Angeles.
Type
Pathogenesis
congenital
neoplastic, benign endothelial
lymphangioma, hemangioma
neoplastic, primary malignant
neoplastic, metastatic
traumatic
resolution of hematoma
degenerative
resolution of splenic infarct
where:
• The typical parasitic cyst is echinococcosis.
Congenital cysts often have a characteristic gross appearance with interior trabeculations. The lining of a congenital cyst may include:
(1) mesothelium
(2) transitional epithelium
(3) squamous epithelium
(4) no cellular lining
Not all splenic cysts the lack a cellular lining are post-traumatic pseudocysts. Splenic cysts should be carefully sampled for histologic examination. The cellular lining of a congenital cyst may be present in some sections but absent in others.
Features of a traumatic cyst:
(1) otherwise normal splenic architecture
(2) documented episode of splenic trauma
(3) appearance of cyst following the traumatic episode
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