Giant cells

Giant Cells                                          See DX Path for details of the conditions below

Giant cells are of two types, named giant cells such as Touton, Langhans, and those seen with multiple nuclei in certain tumours or nevi or those filled with organisms or other material.

 Touton Giant cells are seen most in Juvenile Xanthogranuloma but also in Necrobiotic xanthogranuloma. Nuclei in the Touton giant cell are arranged in a wreath like pattern.

 Langhans giant cells are seen in granulomas particularly in sarcoidosis.The nuclei are distributed throughout the cell cytoplasm.

 Foreign body giant cells are commonly seen with ruptured epidermoid cysts.

 Watch for giant cells filled with viral particles in CMV infection.

 Sometimes you have a named tumour such as Giant cell tumour of the tendon sheath.

 Osteoclastic giant cells may be seen in Pilomatricomas.

Giant cells may also be seen in some malignancies and in deep fungal infections.