Renal Splenosis: Renal Mass Biopsy Diagnosis of a Tumor Clinically Mimicking Renal Cell Carcinoma

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-1-2017

Publication Title

Applied immunohistochemistry & molecular morphology

Abstract

Renal mass biopsy is increasingly used to guide conservative tumor management, placing increasing importance on pathologists' ability to diagnose small tumor samples. A 66-year-old man with a history of prior splenectomy for trauma presented for urologic evaluation after identification of a left 5.8 cm renal mass. Partial envelopment of the mass by renal parenchyma and equivocal enhancement on computed tomography raised concern for renal cell carcinoma. Needle-core biopsy revealed blood, subtle vasculature, few aggregates of lymphocytes, and rare renal tubules. Immunohistochemical staining revealed CD8-positive sinusoids but negative reactivity for epithelial antigens (PAX8, keratin, epithelial membrane antigen, carbonic anhydrase IX), supporting diagnosis of renal splenosis. Renal splenosis is a rare phenomenon that can form a sizeable intrarenal mass, mimicking renal cell carcinoma. Pathologists' awareness of this uncommon occurrence may avoid unnecessary surgery. CD8-positive sinusoids and negative epithelial markers are helpful confirmatory features in the biopsy setting.

Medical Subject Headings

Aged; Biomarkers; Biopsy, Needle; CD8 Antigens; Carcinoma, Renal Cell; Diagnosis, Differential; Epithelial Cells; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Kidney; Kidney Neoplasms; Male; Splenosis

PubMed ID

27028241

Volume

25

Issue

4

First Page

27

Last Page

27

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