Xanthogranuloma juvenile--a rare cause of orbital swelling in adulthood

Juvenile xanthogranuloma, a non-Langerhans-type benign proliferation, in adulthood is a rare condition. This article reports the second known case in the western literature of solitary orbital involvement. The diagnosis was confirmed by orbital biopsy, and symptoms were dramatically relieved by corticoids, although a relapse occurred after their withdrawal. The importance of differentiating benign conditions from malignancies is discussed.