Koeppe's nodules
Encyclopedia
Koeppe's nodules are small nodules seen at the inner margin of the iris
in patients with granulomatous
anterior uveitis
, which occurs in conditions sich as sarcoidosis
and tuberculosis
. The nodules are composed of epithelioid cell
s and giant cell
s surroundeded by lymphocyte
s.
Koeppe's nodules are named after Leonhard Koeppe
.
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
in patients with granulomatous
Granuloma
Granuloma is a medical term for a tiny collection of immune cells known as macrophages. Granulomas form when the immune system attempts to wall off substances that it perceives as foreign but is unable to eliminate. Such substances include infectious organisms such as bacteria and fungi as well as...
anterior uveitis
Uveitis
Uveitis specifically refers to inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, termed the "uvea" but in common usage may refer to any inflammatory process involving the interior of the eye....
, which occurs in conditions sich as sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis , also called sarcoid, Besnier-Boeck disease or Besnier-Boeck-Schaumann disease, is a disease in which abnormal collections of chronic inflammatory cells form as nodules in multiple organs. The cause of sarcoidosis is unknown...
and tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. The nodules are composed of epithelioid cell
Epithelioid cell
Epithelioid histiocytes are activated macrophages resembling epithelial cells: elongated, with finely granular, pale eosinophilic cytoplasm and central, ovoid nucleus, which is less dense than that of a lymphocyte...
s and giant cell
Giant cell
A giant cell is a mass formed by the union of several distinct cells . It can arise in response to an infection or foreign body.Types include:* foreign-body giant cell* Langhans giant cell* Touton giant cells...
s surroundeded by lymphocyte
Lymphocyte
A lymphocyte is a type of white blood cell in the vertebrate immune system.Under the microscope, lymphocytes can be divided into large lymphocytes and small lymphocytes. Large granular lymphocytes include natural killer cells...
s.
Koeppe's nodules are named after Leonhard Koeppe
Leonhard Koeppe
Leonhard Koeppe was a German ophthalmologist born in Torgau, Saxony.He studied medicine in Freiburg and Halle, earning his doctorate in 1911. In 1914 he became an assistant at the ophthalmology clinic in Halle, and in 1918 received his habilitation...
.
External links
- Image at EyeNet Magazine of the American Academy of OphthalmologyAmerican Academy of OphthalmologyThe American Academy of Ophthalmology is the largest national membership medical association of ophthalmologists–medical doctors specializing in eye care and surgery including medical, surgical and optical care. More than 90 percent of practicing U.S. Eye M.D.s are Academy members, and the...
