While previously thought to be a distinct disease entity characterized by subcutaneous nodules on the extremities, fever, and occasional systemic symptoms, histopathologic findings in Weber-Christian disease are now thought to be a reaction pattern that signals the need to search for an underlying diagnosis.

Previous cases have been reclassified as a variety of different panniculitides, including inflammatory panniculitides (erythema nodosum, lupus panniculitis, and other connective tissue diseases), infections, lymphoma (subcutaneous panniculitic T-cell lymphoma, and gamma-delta T-cell lymphoma), pancreatic fat necrosis-associated panniculitis, and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency-associated panniculitis.