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granuloma
(gran″u-lo´mә)
pl. granulomas, granulo´mata
an imprecise term applied either to any small nodular, delimited aggregation of mononuclear inflammatory cells, or more specifically
to a similar collection of modified macrophages resembling epithelial cells, usually surrounded by a rim of lymphocytes, often with multinucleated giant cells. Some granulomas contain eosinophils and plasma cells, and fibrosis is commonly seen around the lesion. Granuloma formation represents a chronic inflammatory response initiated by various infectious and noninfectious agents. adj., granulom´atous., adj.
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