Kikuchi disease, also called histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis or Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease, is a disease that affects the lymph nodes, causinglymph node inflammation. The exact cause of the disease is not yet known, although some researchers have suggested it is an infection or autoimmune disorder.
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Who’s at Risk?
Symptoms
Kikuchi disease usually takes the form of lymph node inflammation. Most of the time it’s only neck lymph nodes that are affected. People with Kikuchi disease develop a fever and flu-like symptoms. A red rash may also appear.
The lymph nodes can be tender and painful around two to three centimeters in diameter.
Diagnosis
An ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI can confirm the presence of enlarged lymph nodes but cannot confirm the diagnosis.Because of its symptoms and because it is so difficult to diagnose, Kikuchi disease is often mistaken forlymphomaor systemiclupus erythematosus.The only way to know for sure if your symptoms are from Kikuchi disease is for your healthcare provider to remove a lymph node and examine the tissues in it. Luckily, unlike lymphoma and lupus, Kikuchi disease is not life-threatening.
Treatment Options
Treatment for Kikuchi disease consists of relieving any fever, flu symptoms, or lymph node tenderness. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen can help with these symptoms. Kikuchi disease will usually clear up on its own within one to four months.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Perry AM, Choi SM.Kikuchi-fujimoto disease: a review.Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. 2018;142(11):1341-1346. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2018-0219-RALamzaf L, Harmouche H, Maamar M, Adnaoui M, Aouni M, Tazi Mezalek Z.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease: Report of 4 cases and review of the literature.European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases. 2014;131(6):329-332. doi: 10.1016/j.anorl.2013.01.007National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease.Lelii M, Senatore L, Amodeo I, et al.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in children: two case reports and a review of the literature.Ital J Pediatr. 2018;44(1):83. doi: 10.1186/s13052-018-0522-9Ludwig BJ, Wang J, Nadgir RN, Saito N, Castro-Aragon I, Sakai O.Imaging of cervical lymphadenopathy in children and young adults.American Journal of Roentgenology. 2012;199(5):1105-1113. doi:10.2214/AJR.12.8629Găman M, Vlădăreanu AM, Dobrea C, et al.A challenging case of kikuchi-fujimoto disease associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and review of the literature.Case Reports in Hematology. 2018;2018:1-5. doi: 10.1155/2018/1791627National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease overview.National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease standard therapies.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Perry AM, Choi SM.Kikuchi-fujimoto disease: a review.Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. 2018;142(11):1341-1346. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2018-0219-RALamzaf L, Harmouche H, Maamar M, Adnaoui M, Aouni M, Tazi Mezalek Z.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease: Report of 4 cases and review of the literature.European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases. 2014;131(6):329-332. doi: 10.1016/j.anorl.2013.01.007National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease.Lelii M, Senatore L, Amodeo I, et al.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in children: two case reports and a review of the literature.Ital J Pediatr. 2018;44(1):83. doi: 10.1186/s13052-018-0522-9Ludwig BJ, Wang J, Nadgir RN, Saito N, Castro-Aragon I, Sakai O.Imaging of cervical lymphadenopathy in children and young adults.American Journal of Roentgenology. 2012;199(5):1105-1113. doi:10.2214/AJR.12.8629Găman M, Vlădăreanu AM, Dobrea C, et al.A challenging case of kikuchi-fujimoto disease associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and review of the literature.Case Reports in Hematology. 2018;2018:1-5. doi: 10.1155/2018/1791627National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease overview.National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease standard therapies.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Perry AM, Choi SM.Kikuchi-fujimoto disease: a review.Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. 2018;142(11):1341-1346. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2018-0219-RALamzaf L, Harmouche H, Maamar M, Adnaoui M, Aouni M, Tazi Mezalek Z.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease: Report of 4 cases and review of the literature.European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases. 2014;131(6):329-332. doi: 10.1016/j.anorl.2013.01.007National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease.Lelii M, Senatore L, Amodeo I, et al.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in children: two case reports and a review of the literature.Ital J Pediatr. 2018;44(1):83. doi: 10.1186/s13052-018-0522-9Ludwig BJ, Wang J, Nadgir RN, Saito N, Castro-Aragon I, Sakai O.Imaging of cervical lymphadenopathy in children and young adults.American Journal of Roentgenology. 2012;199(5):1105-1113. doi:10.2214/AJR.12.8629Găman M, Vlădăreanu AM, Dobrea C, et al.A challenging case of kikuchi-fujimoto disease associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and review of the literature.Case Reports in Hematology. 2018;2018:1-5. doi: 10.1155/2018/1791627National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease overview.National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease standard therapies.
Perry AM, Choi SM.Kikuchi-fujimoto disease: a review.Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. 2018;142(11):1341-1346. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2018-0219-RA
Lamzaf L, Harmouche H, Maamar M, Adnaoui M, Aouni M, Tazi Mezalek Z.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease: Report of 4 cases and review of the literature.European Annals of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Diseases. 2014;131(6):329-332. doi: 10.1016/j.anorl.2013.01.007
National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease.
Lelii M, Senatore L, Amodeo I, et al.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in children: two case reports and a review of the literature.Ital J Pediatr. 2018;44(1):83. doi: 10.1186/s13052-018-0522-9
Ludwig BJ, Wang J, Nadgir RN, Saito N, Castro-Aragon I, Sakai O.Imaging of cervical lymphadenopathy in children and young adults.American Journal of Roentgenology. 2012;199(5):1105-1113. doi:10.2214/AJR.12.8629
Găman M, Vlădăreanu AM, Dobrea C, et al.A challenging case of kikuchi-fujimoto disease associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and review of the literature.Case Reports in Hematology. 2018;2018:1-5. doi: 10.1155/2018/1791627
National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease overview.
National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease standard therapies.
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