Normal size of the spleen
The normal size of the spleen is 11 cm x 7 cm x 4 cm. The spleen is about 11 cm long, 7 cm wide and 4 cm thick. One speaks anatomically of the “forty-seven eleven rule”.
The size of the spleen can be determined sonographically with the ultrasound machine. A length of 11 to 13 cm is considered normal. If the spleen is longer than 13 cm, it is called splenomegaly.
Back pain through the spleen – is that possible?
The spleen can actually cause back pain, which can make the diagnosis more difficult. Frequently, the pain that develops in the area of the spleen radiates into the abdomen and back, sometimes as far as the left shoulder. In addition, back pain can also be caused by the spleen if pain in the spleen causes the patient to adopt a bent, relieving posture which annoys the back muscles, or if a severely swollen spleen becomes so large that it presses on other organs in the abdominal cavity and pressure builds up in the upper abdomen and back.
