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[Unidirectional axillary lymph node swelling in a 31-year-old woman]
Tom Ziegler1, Franz Robiller, Anja Schau
1Klinik für Innere Medizin I, Sophien und Hufeland Klinikum Weimar, Germany. t.ziegler@klinikum-weimar.de
Background:
Swelling in the lymph nodes leads one to think at first in terms of diagnostic differentials such as local inflammation, tumor metastases, or lymphomas. Kikuchi-Fujimoto lymphadenitis is a rare cause of feverish lymphadenitis.
Case Report:
A 31-year-old woman was admitted with painful axillary feverish swelling of the lymph nodes. There had been no previous illnesses and n the case history of her mother, a mammary carcinoma could be found. Ultrasonic and MRI tests showed the lymph node conglomerate to be located in the left axilla. Laboratory tests revealed a constellation of inflammation with lymphomonocytosis. Serologic tests for viral causes were negative. A necrotizing lymphadenitis of the Kikuchi-Fujimoto type was described in the histological reclamation of a lymph node. Within 2 weeks, spontaneous regression of the feverish lymphadenitis occurred.
Conclusions:
In cases of unclear lymphadenitis, an attempt at achieving histological reclamation of a lymph node is desirable in order to realize rare differential diagnosis such as Kikuchi-Fujimoto lymphadenitis.