A Case of Primary B-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma of the Orbit in a Pediatric Patient

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We report a case of orbital B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma in a 7-year-old boy. METHODS: A 7-year-old boy presented with proptosis and periorbital swelling of his left eye following a periorbital blunt trauma 1-month prior. During the course of routine ophthalmologic and radiologic examinatinos, the swelling spontaneously subsided without specific treatment. An outpatient follow-up was planned, but the swelling recurred 6 months later. An orbital CT and MRI showed an irregular mass with an indistinct margin in the left orbit, for which an incisional biopsy was performed. RESULTS: The orbital mass consisited of monotonous small to medium sized lymphoid cells with evenly dispersed open chromatin, thin nuclear membrane and inconspicuous nucleoli. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the cells were positive for CD79a and TdT, but negative for CD3 and CD5. These findings were compatible with a diagnosis of B cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. CONCLUSIONS: Lymphoblastic lymphoma of the orbit should be suspected and considered in the differential diagnosis for children with acutely progressing orbital mass.