What is the most common cause of splenomegaly?

What is the most common cause of splenomegaly?

• A. Portal Hypertension
• B. Malaria
• C. Leukemia
• D. Amyloidosis

Answer: (A)

Portal hypertension is the most common reason the spleen enlarges. When pressure builds in the portal venous system—often from liver cirrhosis or other causes of portal hypertension—the spleen becomes congested as blood backs up into the splenic venous outflow. This congestion causes the spleen to dilate and enlarge, a pattern frequently seen on ultrasound as congestive splenomegaly. Other causes like malaria, leukemia, or amyloidosis can enlarge the spleen, but they are not as common overall. Malaria can cause splenomegaly through immune activation and splenic hyperplasia, leukemia through infiltration by malignant cells, and amyloidosis through amyloid deposition, but these occur less frequently as the primary cause compared with portal hypertension.

Portal hypertension is the most common reason the spleen enlarges. When pressure builds in the portal venous system—often from liver cirrhosis or other causes of portal hypertension—the spleen becomes congested as blood backs up into the splenic venous outflow. This congestion causes the spleen to dilate and enlarge, a pattern frequently seen on ultrasound as congestive splenomegaly.

Other causes like malaria, leukemia, or amyloidosis can enlarge the spleen, but they are not as common overall. Malaria can cause splenomegaly through immune activation and splenic hyperplasia, leukemia through infiltration by malignant cells, and amyloidosis through amyloid deposition, but these occur less frequently as the primary cause compared with portal hypertension.