Panniculitis

Panniculitis, an inflammation of the fat, also presents as subcutaneous nodules and is frequently a sign of systemic disease.

Panniculitis may also occur as a manifestation of lymphoproliferative disorders. A variety of systemic diseases including collagen vascular diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma are associated with acute panniculitis, or nodular fat necrosis.

Various forms of panniculitis

• erythema nodosum,
• erythema induratum,
• lupus profundus,
• lipomembranous lipodermatosclerosis,
• a1-antitrypsin deficiency,
• facticial, and
• fat necrosis secondary to pancreatic disease.

Except for erythema nodosum, these lesions may break down and ulcerate or heal with a scar.

Diagnosis of Panniculitis

Histologic examination of deep incisional biopsy specimens will aid in the diagnosis of the particular type of panniculitis.

Amyloidosis
Connective tissue naevi
Dermatofibroma
Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans
Ehler's Danlos syndrome
Elastosis perforans serpiginosa
Keloids & hypertrophic scars
Lipodystrophy
Lipoma
Mastocytoma
Neurofibroma
Pseudoxanthoma elasticum
Reactive perforating collagenosis
Striae (stretch marks)
Eosinophilic fasciitis
Erythema multiforme
Histiocytoses
Jessner's lymphocytic infiltrate
Langerhans cell histiocytosis
Lymphocytoma cutis
Lymphomatoid papulosis
Mastocytosis
Morphoea
Non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis
Panniculitis
Reticulohistiocytosis
Sweet's disease
Systemic sclerosis
Atypical mycobacterial infection
Granuloma faciale
Granuloma annulare
Cutaneous tuberculosis
Leprosy
Pyogenic granuloma
Sarcoidosis