Langerhans cell histiocytosis in the adult lumbar spine: case report.
BACKGROUND
Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) occurs rarely in the spine of adults. The radiological findings usually resemble vertebral tumors. Etiology of LCH has not been clearly established yet. Therapeutic approaches are still controversial. We describe a case of LCH in an adult spine.


METHODS
A patient who presented with low back pain had an osteolytic lesion in the L1 vertebral body without neurological deficits, and fluoroscopy-guided needle biopsy of the L1 vertebral body was performed. The immunohistochemical diagnosis confirmed LCH. The patient was successfully treated with conservative methods.


CONCLUSIONS
The choice of appropriate therapy is very important, with treatment options varying from watch-and to aggressive treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
LCH is considered as a pediatric disease that is extremely rare in the spine of adults and should be include in the differential diagnosis of osteolytic vertebral lesions. Conservative treatment is best choice for a patient with LCH without neurological deficit or spinal instability.
Department of Neurosurgery, Chonnam National University Hospital and Medical School, 42, Jebong-ro, Donggu, Gwangju, 501-757 Republic of Korea.
Bobby Wirawan
BW
Hassan
Department of Neurosurgery, Chonnam National University Hospital and Medical School, 42, Jebong-ro, Donggu, Gwangju, 501-757 Republic of Korea.
Bong Ju
BJ
Moon
Department of Neurosurgery, Chonnam National University Hospital and Medical School, 42, Jebong-ro, Donggu, Gwangju, 501-757 Republic of Korea.
Young-Jin
YJ
Kim
Department of Neurosurgery, Chonnam National University Hospital and Medical School, 42, Jebong-ro, Donggu, Gwangju, 501-757 Republic of Korea.
Sang-Deok
SD
Kim
Department of Neurosurgery, Chonnam National University Hospital and Medical School, 42, Jebong-ro, Donggu, Gwangju, 501-757 Republic of Korea.
Ki-Young
KY
Choi
Department of Neurosurgery, Chonnam National University Hospital and Medical School, 42, Jebong-ro, Donggu, Gwangju, 501-757 Republic of Korea.
Jung-Kil
JK
Lee
Adult spine; Conservative method; Langerhans cell histiocytosis; Osteolytic lesion