Rosai-Dorfman's disease, an uncommon cause of common clinical presentation

Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy also known as Rosai-Dorfman disease is a rare benign disease that typically manifests as lymphadenopathy with or without systemic manifestations whose etiology remains poorly understood. Most common clinical presentation is painless bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy. However, it also can present in various extranodal sites and can easily be missed because of its rarity if not considered in the differential diagnosis. It commonly occurs in children and young adults with a slightly male predominance. Clinically patients may be mistaken for lymphoma and other infectious disorders like tuberculosis especially in developing countries like in Pakistan where tuberculosis is more prevalent. Here we report a case of a 38-years-old gentleman with bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy and worsening ascites. His symptoms initially mimicking tuberculosis and lymphoma, was finally diagnosed as having Rosai-Dorfman's Disease on intra abdominal lymph node biopsy.