EBER in situ hybridization in subcutaneous aluminum granulomas/lymphoid hyperplasia: A diagnostic clue to differentiate injection-associated lymphoid hyperplasia from other forms of pseudolymphomas and cutaneous lymphomas.
BACKGROUND
Subcutaneous vaccination or desensitization may induce persistent nodules at the injection sites. Without the knowledge of prior injection, histopathological work-up may be challenging.


OBJECTIVE
Aim of this study was to contribute to the histopathological work-up of unclear subcutaneous nodules, especially their differentiation from cutaneous lymphoma.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed clinical data and histopathological slides of four patients with subcutaneous nodules, which were suspected to suffer from cutaneous T- or B-cell lymphoma. Sections of these cases and 12 negative controls were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and a standardized immunohistochemical panel of B- and T-cell markers including EBER in situ hybridization as well as electron microscopy.


RESULTS
In all cases, large histiocytes with granular cytoplasm compatible with intracellular aluminum hydroxide were present. EBER in situ hybridization revealed positive staining of these granular histiocytes while staining was absent in negative controls.


LIMITATIONS
Post hoc completion of medical history revealed that vaccination or specific immunotherapy had been applied before at the biopsy site in only three out of four patients; one patient was lost to follow-up.


CONCLUSION
EBER in situ hybridization is an adjunctive tool to differentiate aluminum-induced granuloma/lymphoid hyperplasia from other forms of pseudolymphoma and cutaneous B- or T-cell lymphomas.
['Frings|Verena G|VG|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8256-7961', 'Roth|Sabine|S|', 'Rosenwald|Andreas|A|', 'Goebeler|Matthias|M|', 'Geissinger|Eva|E|', 'Wobser|Marion|M|']
D000328:Adult D000535:Aluminum D001706:Biopsy D016022:Case-Control Studies D003937:Diagnosis, Differential D005260:Female D006099:Granuloma D006644:Histiocytes D006801:Humans D007150:Immunohistochemistry D017403:In Situ Hybridization D016410:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous D008854:Microscopy, Electron D019310:Pseudolymphoma D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins D012189:Retrospective Studies D012269:Ribosomal Proteins D012878:Skin Neoplasms D040521:Subcutaneous Tissue D014611:Vaccination
EBER in situ hybridization aluminum granuloma lymphoid hyperplasia pseudolymphoma RNA probe