Two men, with abdominal tumors compromising splenic blood vessels, had unusual scan findings. The first showed, on99mTc-sulfur colloid images, multiple hepatic defects as well as decreased radiocolloid accumulation in the lower two thirds of the spleen. The patient had pancreatic carcinoma with hepatic metastases. Tumor obstruction of the splenic artery, with splenic infarcts was present. The second patient showed an enlarged liver and several intrahepatic filling defects. The spleen was not visualized. This functional asplenia was due to splenic vein obstruction by a gastric carcinoma; there were no splenic metastases. Splenic vasculature involvement by tumor can cause findings on splenic images which may be difficult to interpret.
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