The spleen arises in the embryo and is located in the left hypochondrium between the stomach and diaphragm along the 10th rib. It filters blood, destroys old red blood cells, stores platelets, and mounts immune responses to antigens. Plain radiographs can detect the spleen as a soft tissue shadow while ultrasound and CT scans provide information about its size, shape, and consistency. Radioisotope scans determine position and size when other imaging is inconclusive.