A Case of Xanthogranulomatous Pyelonephritis with Multiple Lymphadenopathy that was Difficult to Differentiate from Renal Tumor

Abstract

A 74-year-old woman presented to our hospital with the main complaint of anorexia and weight loss for several months. Computed tomography (CT) revealed right urinary stone, hydronephrosis, multiple lymphadenopathy, and a mass in the right kidney. Considering these findings, she was suspected to have renal malignancy (kidney or renal pelvis cancer) with multiple lymph node metastases; therefore, nephrectomy was performed. Her pathological diagnosis was xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGPN). There was no postoperative renal function decline, and multiple lymphadenopathy also disappeared on CT 3 months after surgery. It was judged to be reactive swelling due to inflammation. XGPN is a pathological condition characterized by accumulation of mast cells and activated macrophages in the renal tissue; and, the renal tissue recognizes yellowish granulation growth because of repeating pyelonephritis due to urinary tract passing impairment. In some cases, it is difficult to differentiate XGPN from renal malignancy. Moreover, lymphadenopathy may be lymph node metastasis but may also present reactive enlargement due to the effect of inflammation, making it even more difficult to differentiate when accompanied by lymphadenopathy. We report this case in which it was difficult to differentiate XGPN from renal malignancy considering the scarcity of reports of XGPN accompanied by multiple lymphadenopathy.