Gastrointestinal Lipid Island / Xanthoma
Definition
- Accumulation of lipid laden cells in the lamina propria of the GI tract
Alternate / Historical term
- Xanthelasma
Diagnostic Criteria
- Small gastric lesions
- <15 mm, most <5 mm
- Very rare lesions in esophagus or intestines
- Lamina propria expanded by a pavement-like infiltrate of foamy cells
- Virtually always involves the upper lamina propria
- May extend into submucosa
- Foveolae and glands displaced
- Uniform population of bland cells
- Central nuclei
- No mitotic activity
- Finely vacuolated foamy cytoplasm
- Foam cells positive for histiocytic markers
Robert V Rouse MD
Department of Pathology
Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford CA 94305-5342
Original posting :December 5, 2009
