Case Report: Kikuchi: The great mimicker

Abstract

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease is a form of a benign necrotizing lymphadenitis which is most commonly misdiagnosed as tuberculosis and or lymphoma, usually more common among young adults in Asia. It is a benign disease but can mimic a lot of other disease processes spanning infectious, rheumatologic and even hematologic malignancies. Our patient presented with prolonged fever and lymphadenopathy. Initial considerations were lymphoma and a nonspecific viral infection. A CT scan showed diffuse cervical lymphadenopathy with lacrimal gland involvement. An excisional lymph node biopsy was done which revealed Kikuchi disease. Patient was given steroids with immediate response with defervescence. Kikuchi is a disease with many mimics and a complete workup is needed to exclude serious disease like malignancy.