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Importance of Clinical and Morphological Correlations in Diagnosing Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis

Case report

Abstrak

Histiositosis sel Langerhans (LCH) adalah gangguan histiositik klonal. Pelbagai manifestasi klinikal, dari lesi tulang terisolasi kepada penyakit multisistem, boleh menyebabkan kesukaran dan kelewatan pada penentuan diagnosis. Kami melaporkan pesakit kanak-kanak perempuan berumur 2 tahun 8 bulan yang mengalami demam berterusan dan kekurangan berat badan selama 2 minggu berserta distensi abdomen. Pemeriksaan fizikal menunjukkan pesakit kelihatan pucat, menghadapi proptosis bilateral, dermatitis ‘seaborrheic’ pada kulit kepala dan hepatosplenomegali. Pemeriksaan X-ray tengkorak menunjukkan beberapa lesi litik pada dasar dan kubah tengkorak. Morfologi sumsum tulang menunjukkan banyak sel Langerhans (LCs) dan makrofaj ‘foamy’ yang abnormal. Pewarnaan imunohistokimia (IHC) CD1a, S-100 and CD68 pada biopsi trefin, tidak menunjukkan sebarang kesimpulan yang nyata. Diagnosis histiositosis multisistem sel Langerhans (MS-LCH)’ pada pesakit ini telah berdasarkan pada manifestasi klinikal, analisis radiologi dan morfologi. Pesakit telah menerima rawatan kemoterapi dan pada masa kini menjalani rawatan kemoterapi ‘maintenance’ dengan memperolehi respons klinikal yang baik. LCH adalah penyakit yang jarang dan walaupun keputusan IHC tidak menunjukkan sebarang kesimpulan yang nyata, korelasi klinikal, radiologi dan morfologi amat penting bagi penentuan diagnosis.

Abstract

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a clonal histiocytic disorder. The variable clinical manifestations from isolated bone lesion to multisystem disease can cause difficulties and delay in diagnosis. We report a 2 years and 8 months-old girl who presented with a 2 weeks history of persistent fever and weight loss associated with progressive abdominal distension. Physical examination revealed pallor, bilateral proptosis, seaborrheic dermatitis over the scalp and hepatosplenomegaly. Skull X-ray demonstrated multiple lytic lesions at the base and the skull vault. Bone marrow morphology showed numerous abnormal Langerhans cells (LCs) and foamy macrophages. The trephine immunohistochemistry (IHC) stains for CD1a, S-100 and CD68 were inconclusive. The diagnosis of multisystem Langerhans cell histiocytosis (MS-LCH) in this patient was based on the clinical presentation, radiological and morphological analysis. She subsequently received chemotherapy and currently she is on maintenance therapy with a good clinical response. LCH is a rare disease and although the IHC was inconclusive, the correlation of clinical, radiological and morphological data are essential for the diagnosis.