Cytologic features of Kimura's disease in fine-needle aspirates. A study of eight cases

Kimura's disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology, presenting usually as painless subcutaneous swellings in the head and neck region or in the salivary glands. The cytologic features of fine-needle aspirates of eight cases of Kimura's disease were studied with reference to the histologic appearance of the subsequent surgical specimens. In the cytologic smears, the prominent feature was the presence of significant numbers of eosinophils in a background of lymphoid cells. Fragments of collagenous tissue and Warthin-Finkeldey polykaryocytes occasionally were seen. In the cell block, vascular proliferation and fibrosis were useful features, providing further support to the diagnosis. The constellation of these features is characteristic of Kimura's disease and should suggest this diagnosis in the appropriate clinical setting. For initial diagnosis, excisional biopsy is important for the exclusion of malignant lymphoma, histiocytosis X, angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia and other reactive lymphadenopathies. Nonetheless, fine-needle aspiration cytology may be valuable in the diagnosis of recurrent lesions of Kimura's disease and may spare the patient from repeated biopsies.