Endocrinol Metab.  2012 Jun;27(2):138-141. 10.3803/EnM.2012.27.2.138.

Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis in the Thyroid and Draining Lymph Nodes: A Case Report

• Chung DH
• Ha SY
• Cho HY
• Kim NR
• An JS
• Lee YD
• Park S

• KMID: 1497653
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3803/EnM.2012.27.2.138

Abstract

A 53-year-old woman was presented with several 0.3-0.6 cm-sized nodules within the right lobe of the thyroid. Histologic sections of the thyroid demonstrated multiple papillary microcarcinomas in the background of lymphocytic thyroiditis, with a small focus of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH). Small LCH nodules were also found in the draining cervical lymph nodes. Although the association of LCH with papillary thyroid carcinoma in the thyroid has been reported, their co-existence with LCH in the draining lymph nodes is very rare.

Keyword

Langerhans cell histiocytosis; Thyroid papillary carcinoma; Thyroid gland

MeSH Terms

Carcinoma
Female
Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell
Humans
Lymph Nodes
Middle Aged
Thyroid Gland
Thyroid Neoplasms
Thyroiditis, Autoimmune
Carcinoma
Thyroid Neoplasms

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid in the background of lymphocytic thyroiditis (H&E stain, × 40).

• 

  Fig. 2 A. The remainder of the thyroid tissue showed lymphocytic thyroiditis and a separate, incidental, 0.5 cm-sized nodule (left top-arrow) and papillary microcarcinoma is also identified (right bottom-arrowhead) (H&E stain, scanning view, × 12.5). B. Immunohistochemical stain for S100 was strongly positive in the large cells with folded nuclei (× 12.5; inset, × 400), C. while pancytokeratin was C negative (× 12.5).

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  Fig. 3 Sheets of Langerhans cells with eosinophils (H&E stain, × 400).

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  Fig. 4 A. Low-power photograph of a lymph node showing aggregates of pale staining cells (H&E stain, × 100; inset, × 400). B. Sections stained with antibody to S100 protein. There is intense nuclear and cytoplasmic staining of Langerhans cells.

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