CYTOLOGIC FEATURES OF KIMURAS-DISEASE IN FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATES - A STUDY OF 8 CASES

Kimura's disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiolog y, presenting usually as painless subcutaneous swellings in the head a nd neck region or in the salivary glands. The cytologic features of fi ne-needle aspirates of eight cases of Kimura's disease were studied wi th reference to the histologic appearance of the subsequent surgical s pecimens. In the cytologic smears, the prominent feature was the prese nce of significant numbers of eosinophils in a background of lymphoid cells. Fragments of collagenous tissue and Warthin-Finkeldey poly-kary ocytes occasionally were seen. In the cell block, vascular proliferati on and fibrosis were useful features, providing further support to the diagnosis. The constellation of these features is characteristic of K imura's disease and should suggest this diagnosis in the appropriate c linical setting. For initial diagnosis, excisional biopsy is important for the exclusion of malignant lymphoma, histiocytosis X, angiolympho id hyperplasia with eosinophilia and other reactive lymphadenopathies. Nonetheless, fine-needle aspiration cytology may be valuable in the d iagnosis of recurrent lesions of Kimura's disease and may spare the pa tient from repeated biopsies.