RETICULAR ELASTOLYTIC GIANT-CELL GRANULOMA - A VARIANT OF ANNULAR ELASTOLYTIC GIANT-CELL GRANULOMA

The case report presented describes a new variant of annular elastolyt ic giant cell granuloma. Over a period of 10 years, a 40-year-old woma n had developed reticular, brown to livid, partly atrophic skin lesion s on the shoulders and decolletee. The patient had no subjective sympt oms. Histology revealed a patchy lymphohistiocytic infiltrate in the d ermis, with many giant cells. Elastic fibres were less frequently foun d in these infiltrates; in a few of the giant cells and macrophages fr agments of elastic fibres were demonstrated within the cytoplasm. Ther e were no deposits of mucin. For this new variant we propose the term ''reticular elastolytic giant cell granuloma.''