Biliary dilatation secondary to lithiasis in a child affected by Langerhans' cell histiocytosis

Disseminated langerhans cell histiocytosis presenting as cholestatic jaundice

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a disorder associated with proliferation of Langerhans cells in various organs. LCH secondary to multisystem involvement can present in a variety of ways. Because of its infiltrative nature, LCH can involve the skin, lymph nodes, the lung or the liver. Jaundice in LCH is a manifestation of liver disease; biliary dilatation secondary to lithiasis or may be due to coexistent Niemann-Pick disease. However, a case of cholestasis has been very rarely described. Cholestasis may result from lymph nodes obstructing the porta hepatis. In this report, we describe a case of type II histiocytosis X with obstructive cholestasis and pulmonary involvement in the form of cysts without significant lymphadenopathy at the porta.