A Case of Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease Presenting as Mesenteric Lymphadenitis / 감염과화학요법

ABSTRACT

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease or histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis is a benign, rare, self limitimg disease presenting with mainly cervical lymphadenopathy and fever unresponsive to antibiotics or medical treatment. A 28-year old man presented with fever and right lower quadrant abdominal pain. Physical examination showed abdominal tenderness and rebound tenderness mimicking acute appendicitis. Imaging studies showed normal appendix and other abdominal organs except enlarged multiple mesenteric lymph nodes. Symptoms persisted despite antimicrobial therapy. Multiple tender lymph nodes were palpable on bilateral cervical area at the 7th hospital day. The biopsy of the neck node showed large areas of patchy, irregular necrosis with prominent nuclear debris surrounded by T lymphocytes, histiocytes without neutrophils and granuloma, so he was diagnosed as Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease. With conservative management, clinical improvement was observed. We suggest that Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease with mesenteric lymphadenitis should be added to the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen mimicking acute appendicitis in young adults.