Paratesticular fibrous pseudotumor--an IgG4-related disorder?
Paratesticular fibrous pseudotumor (nodular periorchitis, inflammatory pseudotumor of the spermatic cord) is a rare, benign condition of unknown etiology characterized by solitary or multiple intrascrotal nodules composed of dense fibrous tissue with a variable, sometimes sparse inflammatory infiltrate. Based on certain similarities to other fibroinflammatory disorders characterized by infiltrates of IgG4-expressing plasma cells and recently subsumed under the heading of IgG4-mediated diseases, we investigated the plasma cell distribution and immunoglobulin isotypes in three cases of paratesticular fibrous and inflammatory pseudotumor. All three cases showed a high number of IgG4-positive plasma cells with an IgG4 to IgG ratio of 44-48%. This finding indicates that paratesticular fibrous pseudotumor might belong to the growing list of IgG4-related diseases, which by now includes such diverse entities as retroperitoneal fibrosis, sclerosing pancreatitis and cholangitis, Riedel's thyroiditis, or sclerosing sialadenitis.
Department of Pathology, Krankenhaus Barmherzige Schwestern, Seilerstätte 4, 4020, Linz, Austria. hans-christian.boesmueller@bhs.at
Hans
H
Bösmüller
Claus Hann
CH
von Weyhern
Patrick
P
Adam
Vedat
V
Alibegovic
Gregor
G
Mikuz
Falko
F
Fend
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018218:Neoplasms, Fibrous Tissue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012598:Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D007074:Immunoglobulin G