Oral cavity & oropharynx
Inflammatory / immune mediated (noninfectious)
Median rhomboid glossitis
Author: Charu Thakral, M.D.
Last author update: 1 February 2013
Last staff update: 4 August 2021
Copyright: 2002-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Glossitis[TI] oral cavity
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Terminology | Epidemiology | Clinical features | Treatment | Clinical images | Microscopic (histologic) descriptionCite this page: Thakral C. Median rhomboid glossitis. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/oralcavityglossitis.html. Accessed April 25th, 2024.
Definition / general
- Inflammation or beefy red tongue associated with deficiency states
- Due to atrophy of tongue papillae, thinning of mucosa and exposure of underlying vasculature
Terminology
- Also called central papillary atrophy, posterior lingual papillary atrophy
Epidemiology
- 1% population, usually males, ages 30 - 50 years
Clinical features
- Usually a clinical diagnosis
- Causes: pernicious anemia (vitamin B12 deficiency), deficiency of riboflavin, niacin or pyridoxine; sprue, iron deficiency anemia; also associated with jagged teeth, ill fitting dentures, rarely syphilis, burns and ingestion of corrosive chemicals
- Susceptible to recurring or chronic atrophic candidiasis
- Plummer-Vinson / Paterson-Kelly syndrome: iron deficiency anemia, glossitis and esophageal webs
- Median rhomboid glossitis: red patch, usually 2 - 3 cm long, in posterior midline dorsal tongue just anterior to V shaped grouping of circumvallate papillae with loss of papillae or taste buds; associated with candidiasis and diabetes mellitus (Eur J Dent 2011;5:367)
Treatment
- Usually none
- Antifungal therapy to reduce clinical erythema of candidiasis
Clinical images
Images hosted on other servers:
Median rhomboid glossitis
Diabetic patient
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Atrophic stratified squamous epithelium overlying moderately fibrosed stroma with chronic inflammation
- Also chronic candida infection with associated pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia
