[Atypical course of histiocytosis X]

A 48-year-old female patient was admitted because of increasing in size xanthomas of the eyelids lasting since 9 years (despite surgical treatment) and narrowing considerably the palpebral fissures. Five years earlier the diagnosis of type II b hyperlipoproteinaemia was made. Presently, besides palpebral lesions, a painless plum-sized tumour was found in the right frontoparietal area and two hard tumours of similar size were situated bilaterally in the submandibular area. In the biopsy specimens of all these tumours histological examination demonstrated lymphoid cells with numerous germinative centres. The diagnosis of histiocytosis X was followed by treatment with prednisone which resulted in a decrease in the size of palpebral xanthomas and improvement of the general condition of the patient.