title: Focal parotid necrosis in systemic lupus erythematosus: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease that may affect a number of organ systems, particularly the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, and immune system. Salivary gland involvement is usually associated with Sjögren's syndrome, in which lymphocytic acinar infiltrates predominate histologically. We present the case of a 29-year-old woman with SLE who developed bilateral parotid enlargement with a unilateral focus of parotid necrosis that was consistent with a cystic mass on computerized tomography. A biopsy of this lesion was histologically similar to a cervical lymph node biopsy in the same patient, with both specimens showing loss of architecture and foci of necrosis consisting of nuclear dust, histiocytes, and scattered plasma cells without formation of granulomata or presence of multinucleated giant cells; these findings are classic for SLE lymphadenopathy. We believe this to be the first reported case of focal necrosis in the parotid gland directly associated with SLE.
authors.affiliation: Eastern Virginia Medical School, Department of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, Norfolk 23507, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Carron
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Karakla
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Watkins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D009333:Neck; D009336:Necrosis; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed