In a granuloma surrounding a retained surgical suture, multinucleated giant cells are seen in which the nuclei are randomly scattered throughout the cytoplasm rather than arranged at the periphery. These cells are termed:

• A Langhans-type giant cells
• B Touton giant cells
• C Foreign body-type giant cells ✓
• D Reed-Sternberg cells

Explanation

Foreign body-type giant cells form when macrophages fuse around inert material such as sutures or talc, and characteristically show nuclei randomly dispersed throughout the abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm. In contrast, Langhans-type giant cells, classically seen in tuberculosis and sarcoidosis, have nuclei arranged peripherally in a horseshoe pattern. Touton giant cells occur in xanthomas with a wreath of nuclei around lipid, and Reed-Sternberg cells are neoplastic C cells of Hodgkin lymphoma.

Reference: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.