[Frequency and valuation of epitheloid cell granulomas of the spleen in morbus Hodgkin (author's transl)].

Macroscopic and microscopic examination of 154 spleens from patients with lymphogranulomatosis revealed focal alterations in 71 (46%) specimens, 55 ( equals 36%) of which showed typical Hodgkin granuloma while in 16 cases ( equals 10%) the granulomas present were composed of epitheloid cells only. In casu, both Hodkin and epitheloid cell granulomas were macroscopically visible and occurred in normal-sized as well as in enlarged (is greater than 250 g) spleens. However, unspecific alterations had led to splenomegaly, too. The presence of epitheloid cell granulomas in spleens in M. Hodgkin proves that the granulomas indeed are causal pathogenetically linked with lymphogranulomatosis, but are to separate from it substantially. Epitheloid cell granulomas are interpreted as a reaction of the mononuclear phagocyte system in lymogranulomatosis and not as a manifestation of lymphogranulomatosis itself. This should be considered in clinical staging.