A 30-year-old woman presents with dry cough and dyspnea. Chest radiograph shows symmetric bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy with fine reticular opacities. Transbronchial biopsy shows well formed noncaseating granulomas containing star shaped cytoplasmic inclusions within multinucleated giant cells. These inclusions are called:
- A Asteroid bodies ✓
- B Ferruginous bodies
- C Charcot Leyden crystals
- D Hamazaki Wesenberg bodies of caseous necrosis
Correct answer: A. Asteroid bodies
Explanation
The constellation of bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, noncaseating granulomas, and young patient defines sarcoidosis. Asteroid bodies, stellate inclusions within giant cells, along with Schaumann bodies, laminated calcified concretions, are classic although nonspecific microscopic clues. Ferruginous bodies are asbestos fibers coated with iron, seen in asbestosis. Charcot Leyden crystals derive from degenerating eosinophils in asthma and parasitic disease. Hamazaki Wesenberg bodies occur in sarcoid lymph nodes but option D wrongly links them to caseation.
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.