Clinico-pathologic study of Kikuchi's necrotizing lymphadenitis. Report on 11 cases
Treilleux, I.; D'agay, M.F.; Bryon, P.A.; Berger, F.
Annales de Pathologie 11(5-6): 326-333
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0242-6498 PMID: 1804152 Document Number: 375006
Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis of Kikuchi is a rare benign disease. Characteristically, patients are young women with cervical adenopathy which may be associated with fever. Histologically, the involved lymph nodes show focal, well-circumscribed, paracortical, necrotizing lesions which contain karyorrhectic debris and aggregates of large mononuclear cells but no neutrophils. This disorder can be misdiagnosed as malignant lymphoma. The histological features seem to be related to delayed-type hypersensitivity but the antigenic stimulus is still unknown. The clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features of histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis in 11 patients are described. In necrotic areas, the majority of cells represent histiocytes and T cells (predominently of CD8 phenotype). The involved lymph nodes were localized to several cervical sites (commonly jugular area).