follicular hyperplasia

follicular hyperplasia

A reactive pattern seen in benign lymphadenopathy that consists of idiopathic expansion of lymphoid follicles (germinal centres containing centroblasts, centrocytes and follicular dendritic cells), which is seen in lymph nodes with chronic nonspecific lymphadenitis.
 
Aetiology
Infections that evoke B-cell response (e.g., HIV), SLE, toxoplasmosis, leishmaniasis, syphilis, adult-onset Still’s disease, Felty syndrome.

DiffDx
Follicular hyperplasia is normal in children, but may also occur in Castleman’s angiofollicular hyperplasia, follicular lymphoma, lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma, progressive transformation of germinal centres.

Segen's Medical Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.