Reviewer ’s report  
Title: Splenic abscesses as a first manifestation of Crohn's disease: a case report  
Version: 2 Date: 22 Jul 2019  
 
Reviewer: J. Chang  
Reviewer's report:  
This is a case report of a 21 -year-old female presenting with multifocal aseptic splenic abscesses 
as the earliest manifestation of Crohn disease. Splenic nodules associated with Crohn disease 
have been reported by a few  papers before. This group is the first to show splenic nodules by 
PET as an initial sign of Crohn Disease. The manuscript highlights the importance of keeping 
Crohn Disease in the differential diagnosis due to the extensive range of extra -intestinal 
manif estations. I have a few minor comments.  
 
Minor comments:  
1. The gross and pathology images are blurry, please replace them with crisp, detailed 
images.  
 
2. English writing has improved significantly, please revise further to reduce wordiness, 
formatting a nd grammar errors, and change sentence structures to enhance the flow of the 
manuscript. For example, "in fact" has been used in line 71, 73, 200, and 225.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to as sess 
 
Are the conclusions drawn  adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is r ecommended, please specify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financia lly from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold o r are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do yo u have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the  above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will  be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available unde r an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).  I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included  as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Reviewer ’s report  
Title: Splenic abscesses as a first manifestation of Crohn's disease: a case report  
Version: 2 Date: 22 Jul 2019  
 
Reviewer: J. Chang  
Reviewer's report:  
This is a case report of a 21 -year-old female presenting with multifocal aseptic splenic abscesses 
as the earliest manifestation of Crohn disease. Splenic nodules associated with Crohn disease 
have been reported by a few  papers before. This group is the first to show splenic nodules by 
PET as an initial sign of Crohn Disease. The manuscript highlights the importance of keeping 
Crohn Disease in the differential diagnosis due to the extensive range of extra -intestinal 
manif estations. I have a few minor comments.  
 
Minor comments:  
1. The gross and pathology images are blurry, please replace them with crisp, detailed 
images.  
 
2. English writing has improved significantly, please revise further to reduce wordiness, 
formatting a nd grammar errors, and change sentence structures to enhance the flow of the 
manuscript. For example, "in fact" has been used in line 71, 73, 200, and 225.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to as sess 
 
Are the conclusions drawn  adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is r ecommended, please specify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financia lly from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold o r are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do yo u have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the  above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will  be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available unde r an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).  I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included  as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer ’s report  
Title: Splenic abscesses as a first manifestation of Crohn's disease: a case report  
Version: 2 Date: 22 Jul 2019  
 
Reviewer: J. Chang  
Reviewer's report:  
This is a case report of a 21 -year-old female presenting with multifocal aseptic splenic abscesses 
as the earliest manifestation of Crohn disease. Splenic nodules associated with Crohn disease 
have been reported by a few  papers before. This group is the first to show splenic nodules by 
PET as an initial sign of Crohn Disease. The manuscript highlights the importance of keeping 
Crohn Disease in the differential diagnosis due to the extensive range of extra -intestinal 
manif estations. I have a few minor comments.  
 
Minor comments:  
1. The gross and pathology images are blurry, please replace them with crisp, detailed 
images.  
 
2. English writing has improved significantly, please revise further to reduce wordiness, 
formatting a nd grammar errors, and change sentence structures to enhance the flow of the 
manuscript. For example, "in fact" has been used in line 71, 73, 200, and 225.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to as sess 
 
Are the conclusions drawn  adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is r ecommended, please specify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financia lly from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold o r are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do yo u have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the  above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will  be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available unde r an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).  I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included  as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
assistant