Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease involving retroperitoneal lymph nodes: An uncommon presentation

Hematol Rep. 2021 Mar 5;13(2):9001. doi: 10.4081/hr.2021.9001. eCollection 2021 Jun 9.

Abstract

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease is a self-limited disease of unknown etiology that is clinically defined by fevers accompanied by tender posterior cervical lymphadenopathy. It often presents acutely or sub-acutely, and due to its non-specific features, the differential diagnosis is broad and includes infectious, autoimmune, and malignant causes. Although cases of extra-cervical disease are not uncommon, involvement of retroperitoneal lymph nodes has only rarely been reported. Here, we describe a patient with Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease who presented with fever of unknown origin, abdominal pain, and enlarged hypermetabolic retroperitoneal lymph nodes.

Keywords: Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease; histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis; retroperitoneal lymph node.

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Funding: None.