Marie Poncelet, Camille Chabert, Jean Pierre Pracros, Perrine Marec Berard
Pediatric Institute of Hematology and oncology, Institut d’Hématologie et d’Oncologie Pédiatrique (IHOP), Lyon, France.
Pediatric Unit of Radiology, H?pital Femme Mère Enfant (HFME), Lyon, France.
DOI: 10.4236/ojped.2012.24052   PDF    HTML   XML   5,622 Downloads   8,962 Views   Citations

Abstract

Langerhans cell histiocytosis has long been described as a rare systemic disorder involving the proliferation of Langerhans cells with formation of granuloma. The disease may be localised or diffuse. Typical forms of the disease involving the bone, the skin or the pituitary gland have been well described whereas others, such as thymic histiocytosis, are still poorly understood. Here, we report a case of isolated Langerhans cell histiocytosis of the thymus in an infant with non-specific symptoms. We provide a description of the disease and discuss patient management.

Keywords

Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis; Children; Thymus

Share and Cite:

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Donadieu, J. and Tazi, A. (2007) Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Orphanet. http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?Expert=389.0&lng=EN
[2]	Nguyen, K. and Tazi, A. (2006) Histiocytose langerhan-sienne de l’adulte. La Revue du Praticien, 56, 1863-1871.
[3]	Bove, K., Hurtubise, P. and Wong, K.Y. (1985) Thymus in untreated systemic histiocytosis X. Pediatric Pathology, 4, 99-115. doi:10.3109/15513818509025907
[4]	Tsunematsu, Y., Koide, R., Watanabe, S., Takahashi, H., Morikawa, Y. and Shimizu, K. (1984) A clinicopathological study of histiocytosis X. Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology, 14, 633-646.
[5]	Gilcrease, M.Z., Rajan, B., Ostrowski, M.L., Ramzy, I. and Schwartz, M.R. (1997) Localized thymic Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis and its relationship with myasthenia gravis: Immunohistochemical, ultrastructural, and cytometric studies. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, 121, 134-138.
[6]	Bramwell, N.H. and Burns, B.F. (1986) Histiocytosis X of the thymus in association with myasthenia gravis. American Journal of Clinical Pathology, 86, 224-227.
[7]	Lee, B.H., George, S. and Kutok, J.L. (2003) Langerhans cell histiocytosis involving the thymus. A case report and review of the literature. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, 127, 294-297.
[8]	Wakely, P. and Suster, S. (2000) Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis of the thymus associated with multilocular thymic cyst. Human Pathology, 31, 1532-1535. doi:10.1053/hupa.2000.20410
[9]	Yagci, B. and Varan, A. (2008) Thymic langerhans cell histiocytosis mimicking lymphoma. Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 51, 833-835. doi:10.1002/pbc.21690
[10]	Langerhans, P. (1868) Uber die nerven der menschlichen haut. Virchows Arch a Pathol Anat Histopathology, 44, 325-337.
[11]	Lichtenstein, L. (1953) Histiocytosis X: Integration of eosinophilic granuloma of bone, letterer-siwe disease and schuller-christian disease as related manifestations of a single nosologic entity. AMA Archives of Pathology, 56, 84-102.
[12]	Heller, G.D., Haller, J.O., Berdon, W.E., Sane, S. and Kleinman, P.K. (1999) Punctate thymic calcification in infants with untreated Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis: Report of four new cases. Pediatric Radiology, 29, 813-815. doi:10.1007/s002470050702
[13]	Junewick, J.J. and Fitzgerald, N.E. (1999) The thymus in Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis. Pediatric Radiology, 29, 904-907. doi:10.1007/s002470050722
[14]	Trusen, A., Beissert, M., Hebestreit, H., Marx, A. and Darge, K. (2003) Fibrosing mediastinitis with superior vena cava obstruction as the initial presentation of Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis in a young child. Pediatric Radiology, 33, 485-488. doi:10.1007/s00247-003-0929-2
[15]	Hatakeyama, N., Hori, T., Yamamoto, M., Sogawa, I., Inazawa, N., Tsutsumi, H. and Suzuki, N. (2009) An infant with self-healing cutaneous Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis followed by isolated thymus relapse. Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 53, 229-231. doi:10.1002/pbc.22026