CYTOLOGIC FEATURES OF DEEP JUVENILE XANTHOGRANULOMA

Juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG) is a rare lesion of the skin and deep t issues whose cytologic features have not previously been published. We report on 2 cases of JXG in patients aged 5 days and 5 yr who present ed with an axillary mass and enlarged supraclavicular lymph node, resp ectively. Fine-needle aspiration and touch imprints made from the surg ical biopsies yielded cellular specimens composed of histiocytes, mult inucleated Touton-type giant cells, and variable admixtures of lymphoc ytes and eosinophils. One lesion was composed primarily of benign-appe aring histiocytes with admired multinucleated giant cells and a few ly mphocytes. The second lesion consisted of a few histiocytes, occasiona l Touton giant cells, many lymphocytes, and scattered fibroblasts. The histiocytes were CD68-positive and S100-negative. Histologic follow-u p confirmed the diagnosis of juvenile xanthogranuloma. One patient was lost to follow-up; the other is alive without evidence of recurrence 1 yr after surgery. We conclude that deep JXG has characteristic and d iagnostic cytologic features. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.