Updated: May 14, 2008
Eosinophilic granuloma (EG) is the benign form of the 3 clinical variants of Langerhans cell histiocytosis, which include Letterer-Siwe disease, Hand-Schüller-Christian disease, and EG (formerly termed histiocytosis X).
EG is characterized by single or multiple skeletal lesions, and it predominantly affects children, adolescents, and young adults. Solitary lesions are more common than multiple lesions. When multiple lesions occur, the new osseous lesions appear within 1-2 years. Any bone can be involved; the more common sites include the skull, mandible, spine, ribs, and long bones.[1,2,3 ]
Symptoms include localized pain, tenderness, swelling, fever, and leukocytosis. Lesions usually begin to regress after approximately 3 months, but they may take as long as 2 years to resolve.
EG is a benign disorder that affects children and young adults, particularly males. The solitary bone lesion may be asymptomatic, or it may cause bone pain because of expansion of the medullary bone. Pathologic fractures may ensue.[1,4,5 ]
The distinctive morphologic lesions of the entire group of Langerhans histiocytosis disorders consist of expanding erosive accumulations of histiocytes, usually within the medullary cavity. Microscopically, proliferation of foamy and vacuolated histiocytes is associated with a variable admixture of neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and plasma cells. The concentration of eosinophilic infiltrate varies from scattered mature cells to sheetlike masses of cells. Occasionally, areas of bone necrosis may interrupt the cellular infiltrate. The foamy cells may also be amassed in clumps, but because these clumps represent phagocytosis of lipid debris, they are of no clinical significance.
Any bone can be involved, but the calvarium, ribs, and femur are particularly common sites. Solitary lesions are more common than multiple ones. When the lesions are multiple, new osseous lesions occur within 1-2 years; the condition is still classified as EG. Radiologists need to be aware that additional EG of bone, occurring as long as 4 years after initial diagnosis, should be interpreted as a localized form of Langerhans cell histiocytosis. This differentiation is important because the prognosis is more favorable with focal disease with multifocal disseminated disease, which involves organs other than the skeletal system. Similar lesions may occur within the lungs, skin, and stomach, either as a unifocal lesion or as part of multifocal disease.[4 ]
Lung involvement occurs in 20% of patients with EG and in an older group (age, 20-40 y). Lung involvement has a strong association with smoking. Diffuse pulmonary infiltrates may be a manifestation of a covert osseous EG. In 50-75% of patients, the disease is monostotic. Skull involvement is seen in 50% of patients.[6 ]Rarely, the growing epiphysis is involved with EG; in most such cases, transphyseal extension can be demonstrated, both by the radiologic findings and the histopathologic results.[7 ]
EG, or unifocal Langerhans cell histiocytosis, is the most common benign form in the Langerhans cell histiocytosis group. EG is found in 60-80% of patients with Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
The exact incidence of EG is unknown.
The prognosis is usually excellent, with spontaneous resolution by fibrosis occurring within 1-2 years. In other instances, curettage, excision, or local irradiation leads to cure, although some authorities believe that the rate of spontaneous resolution of osseous and extraosseous lesions is unaffected by the mode of therapy.[7 ]
The male-to-female ratio is 3:2.
The age range of patients with EG is 2-30 years. The highest frequency occurs in patients aged 5-10 years; 75% of patients with EG are younger than 20 years.
Most patients have no symptoms. The diagnosis is usually based on radiographic demonstration of a destructive bone lesion arising from the marrow cavity and on characteristic morphologic findings. Localized bone pain and focal tenderness may occur as a result of bone erosion and, rarely, a pathologic fracture. A swelling or mass may be palpable at the site of osseous involvement. Rarely, children present with fever and leukocytosis. Involvement of the mastoid process may occur with intractable otitis media with a chronic discharge. Mandibular involvement may present as gingival and continuous soft tissue swelling.[1 ]
Eosinophilic granuloma may masquerade as an aggressive periodontitis.[9 ]Eosinophilic granuloma should therefore be considered when an expanding lytic jaw lesion is encountered.
A spinal EG infrequently produces neurologic deficits in children, which may result in spinal instability.[2,10,11 ]
Plain radiography is the mainstay in the diagnosis of EG, although a specific diagnosis cannot always be made without bone biopsy because children and adolescents are not spared skeletal neoplasms. Radionuclide study, CT, MRI, and, occasionally, angiography are complementary examinations. Any or all may be used to arrive at a diagnosis.[1,12,13 ]
A wide variety of bone lesions may mimic EG; these include infections, traumatic lesions, and neoplasms. A false-negative diagnosis of EG is exceptional when plain radiographic findings are used, although difficulty may be encountered with lesions in areas with more complex anatomy, such as the posterior elements of the vertebral bodies. In these cases, conventional tomography or CT may useful. With radionuclide scanning, the false-negative rate is 30%.
| Aneurysmal Bone Cyst | Fibrous Dysplasia |
| Bone Infarct | Osteomyelitis, Acute Pyogenic |
| Bone Metastases | Osteomyelitis, Chronic |
| Eosinophilic Granuloma, Thoracic | Osteosarcoma, Variants |
Skull[3 ]
Venous lake
Meningocele, encephalocele, and cranium bifidum
Arachnoid granulation
Parietal foramen
Epidermoid cyst
Hemangioma
Cholesteatoma
Fibrous dysplasia
Metastasis
Surgical defect
Osteomyelitis
Vertebra plana
Fracture
Metastasis, lymphoma, leukemia, plasmacytoma, chordoma, aneurysmal bone cyst, and Ewing sarcoma
Hemangioma
Osteomyelitis
Long bones
Ewing sarcoma
Chronic osteomyelitis
Brodie abscess
Chondroblastoma
Lungs
Other interstitial lung diseases
Plain radiography remains the mainstay of diagnosis in patients with EG, although a specific diagnosis cannot always be made without bone biopsy because children and adolescents are not spared skeletal neoplasms.
A wide variety of bone lesions may mimic EG, including infections, traumatic lesions, and neoplasms (see Differentials). A false-negative diagnosis of EG made by using plain radiographs is exceptional, although difficulty may be encountered with lesions in areas with more complex anatomy, such as the posterior elements of the vertebral bodies; in these cases, conventional tomography or CT may useful.
CT is considerably better than plain radiography and conventional tomography in depicting an intracranial extension of EG.
CT appearances of EG are nonspecific, and a variety of inflammatory and neoplastic processes may mimic EG.
Gadolinium-based contrast agents (gadopentetate dimeglumine [Magnevist], gadobenate dimeglumine [MultiHance], gadodiamide [Omniscan], gadoversetamide [OptiMARK], gadoteridol [ProHance]) have recently been linked to the development of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) or nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NFD). For more information, see the eMedicine topic Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy. The disease has occurred in patients with moderate to end-stage renal disease after being given a gadolinium-based contrast agent to enhance MRI or MRA scans.
As of late December 2006, the FDA had received reports of 90 such cases of NSF/NFD. Worldwide, over 200 cases have been reported, according to the FDA. NSF/NFD is a debilitating and sometimes fatal disease. Characteristics include red or dark patches on the skin; burning, itching, swelling, hardening, and tightening of the skin; yellow spots on thewhites of the eyes; joint stiffness with trouble moving or straightening the arms, hands, legs, or feet; pain deep in the hip bones or ribs; and muscle weakness. For more information, see the FDA Public Health Advisory or Medscape.
The value of using MRI for patients with EG lies in the sensitivity of MRI; its specificity is low. However, the cost of the procedure and the procedural problems encountered in imaging young children confer no advantages over plain radiography.
The soft tissue component around the osseous lesion has poor definition and shows signal inhomogeneity; the appearance may mimic that of a malignant tumor, infection, or stress fracture.
Bone lesions in all types of Langerhans cell histiocytosis are not gallium-67 (67 Ga) citrate–avid, but67 Ga imaging may be helpful for detection of nonosseous lesions. Hence, it is useful in the initial assessment and serial follow-up imaging of patients with Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Thallous chloride-201 uptake detected on single-photon emission CT (SPECT) scans has been reported in a patient with skull EG, which was photon deficient on an 99m Tc methylene diphosphonate uptake study.[12 ]
Radiographic examination and radionuclide bone imaging are complementary techniques in detecting bone lesions in bone marrow disorders, including EG. Scintigraphy is more useful in cases of unifocal EG than in cases of multifocal disease, in which radiography is superior.
Negative radionuclide findings occur in 35% of patients with known EG in whom plain radiographic findings are positive.
In most instances, angiography has little or no role in the investigation of EG.
Most lesions included in the differential diagnosis of EG are avascular; therefore, differentiation on the basis of angiographic results is usually not possible.
Percutaneous biopsy is an accepted means of obtaining tissue for analysis to aid in the diagnosis of indeterminate metastatic disease.[13 ]Needle biopsy for tissue sampling in primary osseous neoplasms is more controversial; however, needle biopsy is useful and may be diagnostic in the workup of patients with inflammatory bone lesions and EG. The diagnostic yield of a needle biopsy has been reported to be 50-94% in malignant bone lesions but is less accurate in benign disease. The low complication rate of 0.2% makes the percutaneous approach an attractive alternative to open surgical biopsy.
The prognosis is usually excellent, with spontaneous resolution by fibrosis occurring within 1-2 years. In other instances, curettage, excision, or local irradiation leads to cure, although some authorities believe that the rate of spontaneous resolution of osseous and extraosseous lesions is unaffected by the mode of therapy.[1,5 ]
Pathologic fractures may complicate rib and long bone lesions and cause vertebra plana. The prognosis in patients with vertebra plana resulting from EG is favorable in terms of symptomatic improvement and the restoration of vertebral height. Conservative orthopedic treatment of patients with vertebra plana through immobilization with a brace is usually sufficient to allow optimal vertebral remodeling.
In cases with neurologic impairment (rarely seen in adults), surgical decompression and short fusion of the spine may be necessary. Rarely, the growing epiphysis may be involved by EG, in which case diagnosis demands accurate biopsy and histopathologic analysis so that treatment and prognosis can be individualized.
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Raab P, Hohmann F, Kuhl J, Krauspe R. Vertebral remodeling in eosinophilic granuloma of the spine. A long- term follow-up. Spine. Jun 15 1998;23(12):1351-4. [Medline].
Silvestros SS, Mamalis AA, Sklavounou AD, Tzerbos FX, Rontogianni DD. Eosinophilic granuloma masquerading as aggressive periodontitis. J Periodontol. May 2006;77(5):917-21. [Medline].
Greenlee JD, Fenoy AJ, Donovan KA, Menezes AH. Eosinophilic granuloma in the pediatric spine. Pediatr Neurosurg. 2007;43(4):285-92. [Medline].
Fenoy AJ, Greenlee JD, Menezes AH, Donovan KA, Sato Y, Hitchon PW, et al. Primary bone tumors of the spine in children. J Neurosurg. Oct 2006;105(4 Suppl):252-60. [Medline].
Flores LG 2nd, Hoshi H, Nagamachi S, et al. Thallium-201 uptake in eosinophilic granuloma of the frontal bone: comparison with technetium-99m-MDP imaging. J Nucl Med. Jan 1995;36(1):107-10. [Medline].
Carrasco CH, Wallace S, Richli WR. Percutaneous skeletal biopsy. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. Jan-Feb 1991;14(1):69-72. [Medline].
Osenbach RK, Youngblood LA, Menezes AH. Atlanto-axial instability secondary to solitary eosinophilic granuloma of C2 in a 12-year-old girl. J Spinal Disord. Dec 1990;3(4):408-12. [Medline].
EG, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, histiocytosis X, Letterer-Siwe disease, Hand-Schüller-Christian disease, skeletal eosinophilic granuloma, unifocal Langerhans cell histiocytosis, solitary skeletal lesions, bone lesions, multiple skeletal lesions, skeletal lesions, solitary bone lesions, multiple bone lesions
Ali Nawaz Khan, MBBS, FRCS, FRCP, FRCR, Consultant Radiologist, North Manchester General Hospital, The Pennine Acute NHS Trust, Manchester UK
Ali Nawaz Khan, MBBS, FRCS, FRCP, FRCR is a member of the following medical societies: American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of the United States, Royal College of Radiologists, and Royal College of Surgeons of England
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Muthusamy Chandramohan, MBBS, DMRD, FRCR, Consultant Radiologist, Bradford Teaching Hospitals, UK
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Ian Turnbull, MB, ChB, MD, DMRD, FRCR, Lecturer, Department of Radiology, University of Manchester; Consulting Neuroradiologist, Hope Hospital, Salford, Manchester and North Manchester General Hospital, UK
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Sumaira MacDonald, MBChB, PhD, MRCP, FRCR, Lecturer, Sheffield University Medical School; Endovascular Fellow, Sheffield Vascular Institute
Sumaira MacDonald, MBChB, PhD, MRCP, FRCR is a member of the following medical societies: British Medical Association, Royal College of Physicians, and Royal College of Radiologists
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Michael A Bruno, MD, Associate Professor, Departments of Radiology and Medicine, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Director, Radiology Quality Management Services, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
Michael A Bruno, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Radiology, American Roentgen Ray Society, Association of University Radiologists, Radiological Society of North America, Society of Nuclear Medicine, and Society of Skeletal Radiology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Bernard D Coombs, MB, ChB, PhD, Consulting Staff, Department of Specialist Rehabilitation Services, Hutt Valley District Health Board, New Zealand
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Murali Sundaram, MBBS, FRCR, FACR, Consulting Staff, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Robert M Krasny, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Radiology, Resolution Imaging Medical Corporation
Robert M Krasny, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Roentgen Ray Society and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Felix S Chew, MD, MBA, EdM, Professor, Department of Radiology, Vice Chairman for Radiology Informatics, Section Head of Musculoskeletal Radiology, University of Washington
Felix S Chew, MD, MBA, EdM is a member of the following medical societies: American Roentgen Ray Society, Association of University Radiologists, and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.
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