Anatomy of the Pancreas and Spleen

The spleen is the largest lymphoid organ in the body, located in the LUQ of the abdomen, superior to the left kidney and posterior to the stomach at the level of the 9th‒11th ribs just below the diaphragm. The spleen is highly vascular and acts as an important blood filter, cleansing the blood of pathogens and damaged erythrocytes. The spleen can also activate immune responses, produce antibodies, and function as a reservoir for platelet storage. There are 2 primary types of splenic tissue: red pulp, which contains dense fibrovascular networks for filtering the blood, and white pulp, which is primarily made up of lymphoid tissue surrounding the larger vessels. The spleen has a relatively weak capsule; thus, it can rupture more easily than other abdominal organs and lead to life-threatening hemorrhage.

The pancreas lies mostly posterior to the stomach and extends across the posterior abdominal wall from the duodenum on the right to the spleen on the left. The pancreas is covered with a very thin connective tissue capsule that extends inward as septa, partitioning the gland into lobules. This organ has both exocrine and endocrine tissue. The exocrine portion is organized in grape-like clusters of acini, which are small sacs surrounding the terminal ends of pancreatic ducts. The cells lining the acini and ducts secrete products that make up pancreatic juices, which play a major role in digestion. The endocrine portion of the gland consists of circular islets interspersed between acini, which secrete glucagon, insulin, and somatostatin.

The gallbladder is a pear-shaped sac, located directly beneath the liver, that sits on top of the superior part of the duodenum. The primary functions of the gallbladder include concentrating and storing up to 50 mL of bile. Bile is secreted by hepatocytes into thin channels called canaliculi. These canaliculi lead into slightly larger interlobular bile ductules, which are part of the portal triads at the “corners” of hepatic lobules. The bile leaves the liver via the right and left hepatic ducts, which join together to form the common hepatic duct. The common hepatic duct joins with the cystic duct to form the common bile duct, which empties into the small intestine. If the sphincters leading into the intestines are closed, bile will travel via the cystic duct into the gallbladder for storage.