Table of Contents
Definition / general | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Negative stainsCite this page: DePond WD. Rheumatoid arthritis. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/lymphnodesrheumatoidarthritis.html. Accessed April 24th, 2024.
Definition / general
- Associated with lymphadenopathy during course of disease in 82%, usually axillary (J Int Med Res 2003;31:345)
- Lymphadenopathy usually disappears during disease remission
- May also have fever, weight loss, anemia
- Modestly increased risk of lymphoma, may be due to methotrexate treatment
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Follicular hyperplasia with sparse (J Clin Pathol 1990;43:106) vs. active (Acta Pathol Jpn 1990;40:249) proliferative activity, interfollicular plasma cells with Russell bodies, vascular proliferation
- Capsular lymphocytic infiltrate
- May resemble plasma cell variant of Castleman disease
- Often PAS+ extracellular hyaline material
- Occasionally focal necrosis and microabscesses
- May have sarcoid-like granulomas
Microscopic (histologic) images
AFIP images
Reactive lymphadenopathy of rheumatoid arthritis
Images hosted on other servers:
Follicular hyperplasia
with eosinophilic
material in
interfollicular areas
Extensive replacement
by focally calcified
eosinophilic material
Rounded, well
separated follicles
with expanded
paracortex
Follicular center composed
primarily of centrocytes,
with no / rare tingible body
macrophages or mitotic figures
Interdigitating dendritic
cells (CD1+) are associated
with small lymphocytes
Negative stains
- Polyclonal plasma cells (no light chain restriction)
