Abstract
A 57-year old female patient had found two nodules on her left elbow three months previously. On examination, two skin-colored or pink nodules, 4mm and 6mm in diameter, were seen on the left elbow. She had no history of trauma to the elbow. Laboratory findings showed no evidence of dyslipidemia.
Histopathological findings revealed a granuloma lesion in the dermis with many spindle clefts, some of which were in the cytoplasm of multinucleated giant cells. Lightning materials were observed in part of the cleft by polarization microscope and we diagnosed granuloma cholesterinicum (GC). There have been 11 reported cases of GC. As in our case, most cases developed at easily injured sites, such as the elbow or arm. It is therefore postulated that GC is a type of foreign body granuloma of cholesterol crystals caused by trauma.
More cases should be accumulated to elucidate the pathogenesis of GC.
