Introduction:

Indeterminate cell histiocytosis is a rare neoplastic disease characterized by proliferation of dendritic cells that share morphologic and immunophenotypic features of Langerhans cells and non-Langerhans histiocytes. ICH lesions are typically restricted to the skin; however, there have been rare reports of extracutaneous and systemic involvement.

Case presentation:

We describe a case of a 13-year-old female presenting with complaints of worsening lower back pain for 1 year. CT and MRI of the lumbar spine demonstrated a well-defined bony, lytic, expansile lesion of the posterior and mid-endplate of the L4 vertebra with mass effect on the thecal sac. The patient underwent L3-L5 decompression and fusion with surgical excision of the vertebral body tumor. Microscopic examination of the lesion showed benign fibrohistiocytic proliferation with giant cells, and immunohistochemical staining revealed a phenotype consistent with indeterminate cell histiocytosis (S100+ CD1a+ langerin-).

Discussion/conclusion:

ICH is an extraordinarily rare neoplastic disease of dendritic cells that has a poorly understood pathogenesis. This case expands the spectrum of potential ICH extracutaneous involvement to now include the spine, a location previously undocumented in the literature in the pediatric population.