CYTOLOGY OF LANGERHANS CELL HISTIOCYTOSIS IN EFFUSIONS - A CASE-REPORT

BACKGROUND: Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a relatively rare disorde r of children, characterized by abnormal proliferation of Langerhans c ells. There has been no report on the cytologic appearance of Langerha ns cells in effusions. CASE: A 20-year-old had a 12-year history of th e disease, since he was 8 years old. He had multiple mass lesions in t he bones, lung and liver, and Langerhans cells appeared in the pleural fluid and ascites. They had indented, twisted or grooved nuclei, with a finely or coarsely granular chromatin pattern. Some of the nuclei w ere eccentrically located, and prominent nucleoli were occasionally se en. Immunohistochemically the cells showed positivity for S-100 protei n. Electron microscopic examination revealed abortive Birbeck granules . CONCLUSION: The cytologic appearance was somewhat accentuated and di fferent from that reported for other sites. Immunohistochemical staini ng for S-100 protein and/or electron microscopic examination should be employed.