Multiple lymphangioendothelioma of the spleen in a 13-year-old girl.

A 13-year-old girl had a history of an upper-quadrant abdominal mass for about six months. On exploratory laparotomy, multiple discrete large nodules were seen in the spleen. Histologically, the spleen had the unusual appearance of lymphangioma, in that there was a tremendous proliferatiion of endothelial cells that formed either papillary projections in the lumina of the cavernous lymphatic vessels or a solid mass of cells without the lumina. The changes were suggestive of sarcomatous transformation, but the evidence was not conclusive. A term "lymphangioendothelioma" is proposed for this multinodular tumor.