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Langerhans cell histiocytosis - vertebra plana

Case contributed by Ghazale Jamalipour Soufi
Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

Back pain and anemia

Patient Data

Age: 13 years
Gender: Male

Frontal X-ray shows vertebra plana of L1.

The L1 vertebral body is collapsed. T12 and L2 vertebral bodies show heterogeneous signal intensity with adjacent soft tissue mass.

Case Discussion

The histologic specimen comprises sheets of histiocytic cells with eosinophils and giant cells and plasma cells. Most common cause of vertebra plana in children, is Langerhans cell histiocytosis, more often in thoracic spine.

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