FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY OF LANGERHANS CELL HISTIOCYTOSIS CONFINED TO LYMPH-NODES - A CASE-REPORT

BACKGROUND: Lymph node involvement in Langerhans cell(LC) histiocytosi s (LCH) can be seen as a component of the systemic form, or it may be the initial and sometimes exclusive manifestation of the disease. Desc riptions of patients with LCH whose disease is confined to lymph nodes are rare. CASE: We present a case of LCH confined to lymph nodes init ially diagnosed by fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology in a 43-year- old male. The cytologic findings in LCH included high cellularity, iso lated LCs with prominent nuclear indentations and grooves, multinuclea te giant cells, eosinophils and lymphocytes. Confirmation of LCH was o btained by positive S-100 protein immunohistochemical staining and the demonstration of Birbeck granules on electron microscopy. CONCLUSION: The presence of LCs with prominent nuclear indentations and grooves i s characteristic of LCH confined to lymph nodes and serves as a key po int in suggesting the diagnosis of LCH.