Extranodal Rosai Dorfman disease mimicking multiple liver metastases

Case report: Uncommon manifestations of Rosai-Dorfman disease in the liver mimicking HCC

Rosai-Dorfman-Destombes disease (RDD) is a rare non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) disorder characterized by systemic extranodal lesions. Common cases include skin lesions, whereas liver lesions are rare. This study presents a case of a 66-year-old woman with a solitary extranodal liver lesion who underwent successful surgical treatment followed by glucocorticoid therapy. The patient did not experience any symptoms before surgery. The liver lesion was incidentally discovered during a routine ultrasound examination. Enhanced CT scan revealed the lesion with the characteristic of washout, similar to primary hepatic cancer (HCC). CT scans of the head, neck, chest, and abdominal pelvis revealed no lymph node or other organ lesions. After surgery, the liver lesion was diagnosed as RDD, and subsequent whole-body examinations did not reveal any skin lesions. The definitive diagnosis was solid liver RDD in adults. Although there were no typical cases of bilateral cervical lymph node lesions, ultrasound and CT examinations promptly detected liver lesions, leading to the correct diagnosis through surgical resection. The findings from this case indicate that RDD can occur in rare extrasegmental areas, and the imaging characteristics of liver lesions are not specific, indicating the importance of avoiding delayed diagnosis.

Differential diagnosis in Rosai-Dorfman disease: A rare case of isolated hepatic presentation mimicking a metastatic tumor with positive 18-FDG uptake

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is also called sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy, and it is caused by a histiocytic disorder with unclear etiology. It usually involves cervical lymph nodes, but it may also present with extranodal involvement. We report a rare condition of isolated hepatic RDD without nodal involvement, clinically manifested with three-month abdominal pain and tenderness of the right hypochondrium. CT- and PET-CT scans were compatible with a secondary lesion from an unknown primary tumor. Therefore, the patient underwent an atypical liver resection. Immunohistochemistry and histological results were compatible with a diagnosis of RDD. RDD is characterized by phenomena of emperipolesis, histiocytic proliferation and positive immunostaining for CD14, CD68 and S-100 protein. Cases of isolated gastrointestinal localization of RDD are particularly rare, especially in the liver. Instrumental exams might confuse RDD with other malignancies. RDD is a rare entity, which might be misdiagnosed using PET-CT due to its similarities with malignant tumors. An accurate multidisciplinary approach may help to clear diagnostic clues of this uncommon disease.