A case of amyloidosis of the renal pelvis

We report a case of localized amyloidosis of the renal pelvis and upper ureter arising in a 74-year-old man who presented at our hospital with gross hematuria. The intravenous pyelogram showed right hydronephrosis and stenosis of right renal pelvis and upper ureter. The cystoscopy view was normal, but the right retrograde-ureteropyelogram showed a long irregular stricture of the renal pelvis. Ureteroscopy was performed and rubbing biopsy of edematous, bleeding lesion suggested class IIIb, transitional cell carcinoma. With the diagnosis of a right renal pelvic tumor, right nephroureterectomy was performed. The histology report stated "massive deposits of amyloids are seen in the segment of macroscopically abnormal renal pelvis". Amyloidosis of the renal pelvis is a rare entity and 12 cases were reported in the Japanese and English literature.