S26_ab7

Synovial histology in three Behçet's disease patients with orthopedic surgery

Y. Nanke, S. Kotake, S. Momohara, M. Tateishi, H. Yamanaka, N. Kamatani

Institute of Rheumatology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.

ABSTRACT
Specimens of synovial tissues from 5 affected joints of 3 patients with Behçet's disease were available for histopathological examination. All specimens were infiltrated by lymphocytes and neutrophils, and exhibited marked vascularity and infiltration of lymphoid cells among the vessels. Marked plasma cell infiltration and lymphoid follicle formation were found in one synovial tissue sample. There was no evidence of infection or vasculitis. These findings suggest that the histopathological characteristics of synovial tissue in Behçet's disease may have a wide range, some of which may even resemble the synovial tissue of rheumatoid arthritis.

Key words
Pathology, synovitis, Behçet's syndrome.

Please address correspondence and reprint requests to: Dr. Yuki Nanke, Institute of Rheumatology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 10-22 Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0054, Japan.
E-mail: ynn@ior.twmu.ac.jp