CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL
Mild splenomegaly refers to a slight enlargement of the spleen, typically palpable up to less than three fingers below the left costal margin. While the spleen can enlarge for various reasons, mild splenomegaly indicates a condition that has not yet progressed to severe enlargement.
This condition may be associated with infections, haematological diseases, and systemic disorders. Identifying the underlying cause is essential for appropriate patient management.
Condition | Symptoms and Clinical Signs | Suspected Diagnosis | Confirmatory Diagnosis |
Infectious mononucleosis | Severe fatigue, fever, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly. | Clinical history, clinical symptoms | Serology for EBV, full blood count |
Brucellosis | Undulant fever, night sweats, fatigue, joint and muscle pain, splenomegaly, hepatosplenomegaly. | Clinical history, exposure to animals or animal products | Serology for Brucella, blood cultures |
Hepatitis | Jaundice, fatigue, general malaise, nausea, vomiting, right upper quadrant pain, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly. | Clinical history, clinical symptoms | Liver function tests, serology for hepatitis |
Bacterial endocarditis | Persistent fever, new or changed heart murmur, petechiae, Janeway lesions, Osler’s nodes, splenomegaly. | Clinical history, physical examination, clinical symptoms | Blood cultures, echocardiogram |
Amyloidosis | Fatigue, weight loss, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, peripheral neuropathy, oedema. | Clinical history, clinical symptoms | Biopsy of affected tissue, serum protein electrophoresis |
Haemolytic anaemia | Fatigue, pallor, jaundice, dark urine, splenomegaly, haemolytic crises. | Clinical history, clinical symptoms | Full blood count, Coombs test |
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