What Are Spleen Granulomas?
A granuloma is a small area showing tissue inflammation, and it most often shows up in the lungs but can also appear elsewhere, including the spleen. Granulomas often cause no other symptoms and are first discovered as a result of imaging tests performed for a different reason, notes Mayo Clinic.
Even though they do not present with any other symptoms, spleen granulomas can be a sign of several different serious diseases. They appear as large, active granulomas either with or without necrosis, or dead tissue, at the center; widespread, smaller granulomas without any necrosis; or inactive granulomas that have calcified to the point where they resemble bone. Granulomas are commonly associated with systemic diseases affecting lymph nodes, bone marrow and the liver, as well as infectious mononucleosis and chronic uremia, as stated by Pathology Outlines.
Granulomas may also show up in Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma or hairy cell leukemia. However, just because a granuloma appears does not mean that the spleen is affected by a tumor. When the granuloma is active, adults suffer from fever and unexplained weight loss, according to Pathology Outlines. While granulomas rarely require treatment themselves, they are often a sign of a condition that requires urgent treatment, notes Mayo Clinic.
