Kikuchi Fujimoto Disease, a Worrisome Presentation With a Reassuring Outcome

Abstract

We describe the case of a 27-year-old male with painful lymphadenopathy involving multiple sites. An excisional lymph node biopsy established the diagnosis of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) and the patient improved with supportive care only and did not have further episodes. This is a case of a rare, benign lymphadenitis, of unknown etiology. The histopathology proved the benign character of the lymphadenopathy and made the diagnosis clear, despite the nonspecific character of the clinical presentation. It is important to recognize the clinical and histopathological aspects of KFD in order to avoid unnecessary and sometimes harmful treatment, such as chemotherapy, when this disease is confounded with lymphoma.