[Idiopathic hepatosplenic granulomatosis].
Granulomas in the liver are identified in 3-10% of all liver biopsies. Although granulomas frequently represent a sign of either infectious or non infectious disease, 20% of the hepatic granulomas lack an identifiable etiology. These cases are defined as idiopathic granulomatous hepatitides (IG). We describe four cases of disease resembling a lymphoid malignance in which IG could be diagnosed by laboratory, radiological (XR, CT), ultrasonographic, histological and follow-up studies of the patients. We suggest that IG may be suspected in patients with granulomas in the liver, self-limited fever of unknown origin, low epatosplenomegaly, eosinophilia less than 5%, in the absence of infectious, lymphoid or sarcoid diseases. We recommend laparascopy as an important diagnostic tool.
Nalli
G
G
Bellusci
M
M
Mengoni
A
A
Carnevale Maffè
G
G
Sessa
F
F
Casirola
G
G
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006099:Granuloma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000473:pathology*
Granulomatosi epatosplenica idiopatica.