Rosai-Dorfman disease of soft tissue

Whereas Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) or sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy is well described in lymph nodes and other organs, it is frequently not recognized in soft tissue. We studied the clinical and histologic features of 23 previously unreported soft tissue lesions from 17 patients (13 females, 4 males) who were 24 to 66 years of age (mean, 46 years). These lesions involved the extremities (12, 52%), trunk (6, 26%), head and neck (3, 13%), and the retroperitoneum (2, 9%). Associated lymph node involvement was present in four cases; most patients were asymptomatic. RDD of soft tissue had more subtle histologic features than its lymph node counterpart. Emperipolesis was less conspicuous and proliferating histiocytes were frequently spindled, associated with collagen deposition, and arranged in a vague storiform pattern with scattered lymphoplasmacytic aggregates. These features led to a variety of diagnoses, including benign inflammatory and fibrohistiocytic lesions (13 cases) as well as lymphoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma (three cases). RDD was correctly diagnosed in only one case. Diagnosis was confirmed in 16 of 18 lesions by detection of S-100 protein and histiocytic markers KP1 (12 of 13) and lysozyme (eight of 11) in the characteristic histiocytes. Recognition that RDD of soft tissue occurs in an older patient population than does nodal RDD and that it mimics fibrous and inflammatory lesions of soft tissue is important.

[Rosai-Dorfman syndrome. On the differential diagnosis of lymph node swelling]

The Rosai-Dorfman syndrome is a benign disease, one of its commonest affected sites being the cervical lymph nodes. This disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a cervical lymphadenopathy. The syndrome often begins with a chronic rhinitis, and is accompanied by sinusitis, tonsillitis or pharyngitis; blood tests indicate chronic infection. The pathogenesis of the disease is still unknown but may include infection or an abnormal autoimmune reaction. The diagnosis is established by the findings of characteristic histiocytes with haemophagocytosis. We report a female patient with persistent cervical lymph node swelling resistant to treatment. The cause was proved by histology to be a Rosai-Dorfman syndrome.

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy--isolated suprasellar involvement

An unusual case of an isolated histioproliferative lesion arising from the suprasellar region is described. The presence of lymphophagocytosis suggested that this represented an extranodal intracranial form of sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy.

Sinus histiocytosis involving the lacrimal sac and duct. A clinicopathologic case report

A 17-year-old girl with right-sided epiphora and a lacrimal sac mass was found radiologically to have marked enlargement of her lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct and mucosal thickening of her right nasal turbinates and maxillary, ethmoid, and sphenoid sinuses. Biopsy specimens from all these sites showed chronic inflammatory infiltrates with a predominant population of large phagocytic histiocytes, some of which had engulfed lymphocytes and plasmacytes. The results of a systemic workup were normal. This is the first reported case, to our knowledge, of sinus histiocytosis involving the lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct as an extranodal focus.

Rosai-Dorfman disease involving the premaxilla

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML), introduced in 1969 by Rosai and Dorfman, is a benign and self-limited (albeit often relapsing) pseudolymphomatous entity with characteristic histopathologic features. Although the presence of massive cervical lymphadenopathy often aids in the diagnosis of SHML, the disease may present in the absence of detectable nodal involvement (Rosai-Dorfman disease). Therefore, the physician must be aware of such extranodal presentations. A recent review of the 365 cases in the SHML registry has revealed a preponderance of eyelid and/or orbital involvement; only 26 cases were found with subcutaneous or soft tissue involvement in areas other than the eyelid and/or orbit. This is a case report of one such atypical presentation of SHML without clinically apparent lymphadenopathy or eyelid or orbital involvement.

[Rosai-Dorfman disease of the mesenteric lymph nodes and appendix. Secondary to salmonellosis?]

A 28 year-old female patient was operated for acute abdominal pain. At the surgical intervention the mesenteric nodes turned out to be enlarged and the appendix was apparently normal. Microscopically, the changes observed were of the Rosai-Dorfman disease type in the appendix as well as in the nodes. A salmonella D was cultivated in the mesenteric nodes. This association, which has not been described in the literature, permits us to comment clinicopathological aspects, poorly defined, with special reference to the possibility that some instances of Rosai-Dorfman disease could be secondary to an infectious process.

[Cervical lymph node metastasis: significance of computerized tomography and palpation. A histologically controlled comparison]

Palpation and CT are used before treatment, in addition to sonography, in patients with tumours in the head and neck for lymph node staging. The accuracy of CT in identifying lymph node metastases is 79% and in our clinical material is similar to the accuracy of palpation (81%). Sensitivity of CT (93%) is better than palpation (82%). Specificity of CT (65%) is less than that of palpation (82%). The high percentage of false positives from CT (35%) is due to enlargement of the lymph nodes resulting from sinus histiocytosis or follicular hyperplasia. CT is significantly superior to palpation in demonstrating the relationship of the lymph nodes to the surrounding tissues (vessels, muscles, bones).

Fine needle aspiration cytologic findings in a case of sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (Rosai-Dorfman syndrome)

The clinical, fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytologic and histologic findings in a case of sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML) in a five-year-old boy are presented. The FNA smears showed a proliferation of plasma cells, lymphoid cells and histiocytes demonstrating emperipolesis that is characteristic of this benign disorder; these cytologic findings were reported as a reactive lymphoid infiltrate with a high content of benign histiocytes. The diagnosis was made on a subsequent open biopsy performed on the persistent lymphadenopathy. The differential diagnosis of lymph nodes containing a prominent component of histiocytes is discussed.

Fine needle aspiration cytology and immunocytochemical characterization of the histiocytes in sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (Rosai-Dorfman syndrome)

A fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of an enlarged lymph node in a three-year-old boy who had asymptomatic cervical and submandibular lymphadenopathy showed large histiocytes with abundant pale, eosinophilic cytoplasm containing well-preserved lymphocytes and occasional plasma cells and granulocytes. These features were consistent with a diagnosis of sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML). Immunophenotypic study of the histiocytes, performed on the FNA smears and on paraffin-embedded sections, showed reactivity for S-100 protein and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin and negativity for lysozyme. These features, which are characteristic of SHML, demonstrate the reliability of FNA cytology in making the diagnosis of this disorder.

The histiocytoses: clinical presentation and differential diagnosis

The histiocytoses, whether reactive or neoplastic, can be related histologically and immunophenotypically to their normal counterparts within the histiocytic system. This system has two subsets: The dendritic (antigen-presenting) cells and the phagocytic histiocytic (antigen-processing) cells. Dermatopathic lymphadenitis and Langerhans cell histiocytosis (histiocytosis X) are reactive proliferative disorders of dendritic cells. Malignancies of dendritic cells exist, but they are very rare. Benign proliferations of phagocytic histiocytes include the hemophagocytic syndromes, both familial and reactive, as well as sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (Rosai-Dorfman disease) and histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (Kikuchi's disease). Neoplasms of phagocytic histiocytes include acute monocytic leukemia and the very rare entities, malignant histiocytosis and true histiocytic lymphoma. The latter must be distinguished from sinusoidal, large cell anaplastic lymphomas.

Rosai-Dorfman disease (sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy) with cutaneous and ocular involvement: a case report

This case report presents both the clinical and the histopathological features of the oldest patient on record with ophthalmic manifestations of Rosai-Dorfman Disease. An unusual feature, which has not been previously reported, is involvement of the cornea with subsequent perforation of the globe. The absence of lymphadenopathy is discussed.

[Skin involvement in Rosai-Dorfman disease. Description of a case]

Sinus Histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy is an idiopathic, histologically distinctive disorder that characteristically produces painless cervical lymphadenopathy. Other node groups are frequently involved and mass lesions in extranodal sites occur in approximately 30% of patients. In most cases the disease is chronic and the course is often characterized by exacerbations and remission. We report the case of a 66 years old white woman affected by sinus histiocytosis with massive cervical and inguinal lymphadenopathy. Subcutaneous nodules appeared in her left arm and low back region with the histological features of sinus histiocytosis. Cellular infiltrate was composed predominantly of histiocytes aggregating in granuloma like clusters. These cells had large round or kidney shaped nuclei; cytoplasm was abundant, vacuolated, often containing phagocytized lymphocytes. Multinucleated cells were also observed; reactive plasmocytosis was present in the nodule periphery. During the follow-up the patient maintained good physical conditions, despite a moderate weight loss. The size of her nodules regressed within one year. Immunologic alterations, consisting of polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia and persistent inversion of T4/T8 lymphocyte ratio, were observed. Sinus histiocytosis usually offers a good prognosis; in our patient infective and/or autoimmune complications could be favoured by advanced age, extranodal involvement and immunological depression.