Pulmonary Crystal-Storing Histiocytosis Misdiagnosed as Lung Cancer

Clin Lab. 2024 Sep 1;70(9). doi: 10.7754/Clin.Lab.2024.240427.

Abstract

Background: Crystalloid storage histiocytosis (CSH) is a rare clinical condition characterized by abnormally high numbers of histiocytes with a large accumulation of crystalline immunoglobulins. Due to its relative rarity, clinical diagnosis of it is frequently incomplete or incorrect. We report a case with pulmonary crystal-storing histiocytosis that was mistakenly identified as lung carcinoma.

Methods: Percutaneous lung biopsy, bronchoscopy.

Results: Percutaneous lung biopsy pathology shows granulomatous inflammation with massive eosinophilic infiltration, immunohistochemistry shows CD68, kappa positive, S-100, desmin, myogenin, lambda negative. The final diagnosis is pulmonary crystal-storing histiocytosis.

Conclusions: To get pathology tissue for a definitive diagnosis, patients with pulmonary nodules who have changes in tumor markers or nodule size should have bronchoscopy or percutaneous lung biopsy done as soon as possible.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Biopsy
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Diagnostic Errors*
  • Histiocytes / chemistry
  • Histiocytes / pathology
  • Histiocytosis* / diagnosis
  • Histiocytosis* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung Diseases / diagnosis
  • Lung Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Male
  • Middle Aged