Spleen implanting in the fatty liver mimicking hepatocarcinoma in a patient with hepatitis B&C

RATIONALE Ectopic splenic autotransplantation refers to the heterotopic autotransplantation of splenic tissue and no treatment is necessary for it when patient is asymptomatic. Its incidence rate is reported up to 67% among patients with a history of splenic trauma and splenic surgery. The diagnosis of it before operation is really difficult, and it is easy to mimic as other tumors. PATIENT CONCERNS We reported a 42-year-old man with hepatic splenosis, with history of splenectomy for traumatic splenic rupture 16 years ago and hepatitis B&C. The patient was enrolled with recurrent low back pain for more than 1 month without any treatment. DIAGNOSES Radiological imaging revealed a subcapsular hepatic nodule, showing "fast-in and fast-out" enhancement. Surgery was performed, and the result of histological diagnosis was hepatic splenosis. INTERVENTIONS No intervention before segmentectomy of the liver. LESSONS When imaging of a patient with history of traumatic splenic rupture or splenectomy shows1 or few well circumscribed hepatic nodules with enhancement in dynamic study, we should suspect hepatic splenosis, for the purpose of avoiding unnecessary surgery.