Clinical Characteristics of Subacute Necrotizing Lymphadenitis

Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology 1999;15(2):217-221.
Published online November 30, 1999.

Chan Hum Park;Hee Dong Kim;Jun Young Park;Jin Hyoung Jun;Youn Kyu Park;Young Soo Rho

아급성 괴사성 림프절염의 임상적 고찰

박찬흠;김희동;박준영;조형주;전진형;박윤규;노영수

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Subacute necrotizing lymphadenitis or Kikuchi's disease has now become recognized in many parts of the world as a well-defined clinicopathologic entity. It typically affects cervical lymph nodes of young women, and subsides spontaneously within a few months without recurrences. The purpose of this study is to report the clinicopathologic finding, radiologic finding and many laboratory tests to elaborate the criteria that are useful in distinguishing this entity from inflammatory disease, granulomatous disease, lymphoma, malignant disease. Material and Methods: Authors evaluated 22 patients, who were diagnosed as subacute necrotizing lymphadenitis on excisional biopsy or fine needle aspiration cytology with retrospective chart review.
Results
The patient population consisted of 21 women and 1 men. The mean age was 25 years old(range 17 to 42 years). All patient had palpable neck mass and associated fever, headache, weight loss, otalgia, diarrhea, night sweating. and associated disorder is dermatitis, hepatitis B, SLE, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, albinism et al. The multiple bilateral involvement of cervical lymph node was 20 cases(91%) and multiple unilateral 18 cases(82%), multiple bilateral 2 cases(9%). Solitary involvement was 2 cases(9%), mean size of involved lymph node was 2.0cm. In laboratory tests, leukopenia 17 cases(72%), elevated ESR 12 cases(54%), elevated GOT, GPT 3 cases(13%). In CT finding, lymph nodes enhanced in homogeneous fashion, and there was no evidence of central necrosis.
Conclusion
Subacute necrotizing lymphadenitis, Kikuchi's disease may be easily confused clinically, pathologically, radiologically with malignant lymphoma, inflammatory disease, granulomatous disease. We should consider open biopsy of lymph node in the patient which had unilateral multiple cervical lymph node and in laboratory tests, were leukopenia, elevated ESR, especially in young women. otherwise, result of fine needle aspiration biopsy is nonspecific, excisional biopsy is recommended in order to differentiate other disease.

Key Words: Subacute necrotizing lymphadenitis, Kikuchi's disease