Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: Juvenile xanthogranuloma is a benign, normolipemic, dendrocytic histiocytosis that usually affects young children. It presents clinically as single or multiple yellow-brown papulonodular lesions in the upper part of the body, especially the head and neck. In adults, xanthogranuloma is not common and usually presents as a single lesion. Multiple xanthogranuloma in adults is rare. For the most part, cutaneous lesions are self-limited and seldom necessitate treatment. Here we report an adult patient with multiple xanthogranuloma.

Case: A 45-year-old woman presented with multiple papulonodular lesions around the eyes and over her breasts and back. Biopsy showed giant cells with a wreath-like arrangement of nuclei (Touton giant cell) and diagnosis of juvenile xanthogranuloma was made.

Conclusion: Although juvenile xanthogranuloma is a disease of children, it can rarely occur in adults. These patients should be evaluated for involvement of other organs to prevent complications. With ocular involvement, the risk of morbidity is high, and complications can include glaucoma, retinal detachment, cataract, vascular occlusion, hyphema, and corneal blood staining.