Reticulum Stain Findings in Various Cutaneous Granulomatous Diseases / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Reticulum fibers represent a special type of thin collagen fiber that measures from 0.2 to 1.0 micrometer in diameter. A reticulum stain is currently used for diagnosing liver cirrhosis, chemodectoma, differentials of lymphoid tissue tumors and vascular tumors. In particular, it has been used for diagnosing sarcoidosis in the field of dermatology. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to ascertain whether reticulum fibers appeared when diseases showing granulomatous reaction were stained with a reticulum stain. METHODS: Patients who had been clinically or histopathologically diagnosed as having a granulomatous disease were used in this study. Granulomatous diseases included sarcoidosis, leprosy, skin tuberculosis, lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei, granuloma annulare, paraffinoma, silicon granuloma or foreign body granuloma. A patient without a graunlomatous disease was used as the control. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and reticulum staining using Gomori's silver impregnation method were performed in all cases. RESULTS: A reticulum stain revealed a network of reticulum fibers surrounding and permeating the granulomas of various forms in patients with a granulomatous disease, although it was less abundant in sarcoidosis. CONCLUSION: We concluded that reticulum fibers appear in all granulomatous diseases.