What Causes an Enlarged Spleen?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
6. Disease Process
There are four classification types of splenomegaly according to the causes. The first type is the congestive stage caused by portal hypertension in which there is pooling of blood. The second type is the infiltrative stage in which there is an invasion of the spleen by foreign cells such as metastases of tumors, myeloid neoplasms, and fat cells.
The third one is the immune type caused by a significant increase in immunologic activity. This type is characterized by the subsequent hyperplasia and it is usually associated with conditions such as endocarditis, sarcoidosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. The last type is the neoplastic splenomegaly resulting from immune cells causing a tumor such as lymphomas.
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