The morphometric evaluation of the spleen in patients undergoing nephrectomy

The spleen, although not a vital organ, is one of the key organs of the immune system and plays an active role in nourishing tissues when needed, thanks to its ability to store blood. Therefore, thoroughly understanding its anatomy, physiology, and morphometry is important. Knowing the factors affecting spleen volume is essential for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. Our study aimed to determine how the absence of a kidney in patients who underwent left nephrectomy influences spleen volume. Accordingly, we measured and evaluated potential changes in spleen volume before and after surgery in the patient group, considering the impact of gender as well. In our study, the abdominal CT images of 30 female and 32 male patients, aged between 37 and 85, were retrospectively analyzed. The images were obtained from the Department of Radiology at Sakarya University Education and Research Hospital and uploaded into the Aquarius system. The perimeter of each section from the CT images was manually traced, and the surface area was calculated using the Teraracon program. Following this process for each section, the program also calculated the total spleen volume. The measurement results were statistically analyzed using SPSS and the findings were evaluated. The results revealed that the removing the left kidney caused a significant increase in spleen volume; however, gender did not affect this increase. In studies investigating changes in spleen volume in the literature, it has been observed that the differences in spleen morphometry caused by physiological changes in the body are often examined. Unlike previous research, our study focused not on spleen volume changes due to physiological reasons but on possible volume changes resulting from the anatomical space created by removing the adjacent left kidney. For this reason, our research will significantly contribute to the literature by offering a different perspective and presenting novel findings. Keywords: Computed tomography, Kidney, Splen, Surgical intervention, Volumetric change