Intravascular large B cell lymphoma presenting as cholecystitis: diagnostic challenges persist.Ann Hematol. 2014;93:1259-1260. [PMID: 24288109 DOI: 10.1007/s00277-013-1963-2]

Case Report: Intravascular Large B-Cell Lymphoma: A Clinicopathologic Study of Four Cases With Review of Additional 331 Cases in the Literature

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare and highly malignant non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma with uncommon clinical presentation and poor prognosis. The diagnostic pitfall of IVLBCL is mainly due to the fact that subtle histological changes could be easily overlooked, in addition to its rare occurrence, non-specific and variable clinical presentations, and the absence of significant mass lesions. The purpose of this study is to further explore the clinicopathologic and molecular features of IVLBCL to ensure an accurate diagnosis of this entity. Here, we retrospectively present the data of the four new cases and the literature cases. The age ranged from 23 to 92, with a medium age of 67 and a male-to-female ratio of 1:1. The clinical manifestations are extremely variable, including fever, night sweats, weight loss, anemia, thrombocytopenia, unexplained hypoxemia, impaired consciousness, and skin lesions, as well as the extremely low levels of serum albumin, high levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL2R), and ferritin. Morphologically, 99.9% of cases showed a selective growth pattern with large, atypical lymphocytes within the lumen of small blood vessels. In addition, vast majority of cases were positive for CD20, CD79a, PAX5, MUM1, and BCL6, and a subset of cases expressed BCL2 and CD5, whereas CD3 and CD10 were typically negative. Ki-67 proliferative index ranged from 20% to 100%. To sum up, we have conducted comprehensive case reports, to the best of our knowledge, this is the largest reported cohort of IVLBCL cases. Comprehensive assessments and more IVLBCL cases are required for early diagnosis and prompt treatment.

Hodgkin lymphoma masquerading as perforated gallbladder adenocarcinoma: A case report

BACKGROUND

There are several case reports of acute cholecystitis as the initial presentation of lymphoma of the gallbladder; all reports describe non-Hodgkin lymphoma or its subtypes on histopathology of the gallbladder tissue itself. Interestingly, there is no description in the literature of Hodgkin lymphoma causing hilar lymphadenopathy, inevitably presenting as ruptured cholecystitis with imaging mimicking gallbladder adenocarcinoma.

CASE SUMMARY

A 48-year-old man with a past medical history of diabetes mellitus presented with progressive abdominal pain, jaundice, night sweats, weakness, and unintended weight loss for one month. Work-up revealed a mass in the region of the porta hepatis causing obstructions of the cystic and common hepatic ducts, gallbladder rupture, as well as retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy. The clinical picture and imaging findings were suspicious for locally advanced gallbladder adenocarcinoma causing ruptured cholecystitis and cholangitis, with metastases to retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Minimally invasive techniques, including endoscopic duct brushings and percutaneous lymph node biopsy, were inadequate for tissue diagnosis. Therefore, this case required exploratory laparotomy, open cholecystectomy, and periaortic lymph node dissection for histopathological assessment and definitive diagnosis. Hodgkin lymphoma was present in the lymph nodes while the gallbladder specimen had no evidence of malignancy.

CONCLUSION

This clinical scenario highlights the importance of histopathological assessment in diagnosing gallbladder malignancy in a patient with gallbladder perforation and a grossly positive positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan. For both gallbladder adenocarcinoma and Hodgkin lymphoma, medical and surgical therapies must be tailored to the specific disease entity in order to achieve optimal long-term survival rates.

Intravascular Large B-cell Lymphoma Mimicking Hepatobiliary Infection: A Case Report and Literature Review

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) frequently involves the hepatobiliary system, but its clinical course and pathophysiology are still not fully known. We herein describe a case of IVLBCL mimicking acute hepatobiliary infection. An 85-year-old woman was admitted because of fever and epigastric pain, and she was diagnosed to have acute acalculous cholecystitis based on gallbladder wall thickening with fluid collection. The gallbladder swelling regressed within several days, and areas of intrahepatic hypoperfusion appeared. Inflammation continued despite treatment with antibiotics, and she died within 21 days. An autopsy examination revealed IVLBCL. IVLBCL can present as acute cholecystitis with an improvement in the imaging findings and the presence of a subsequent liver mass.

Acalculous Cholecystitis as the Initial Presentation of Systemic Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

The involvement of the gallbladder in systemic lymphoma is extremely rare. We report a challenging case of systemic diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) that initially presented with septic shock from acalculous cholecystitis. After extensive investigation, DLBCL was found to be the underlying cause of gallbladder disease.