Frequency and etiology of unexplained bilateral hydronephrosis in patients with breast cancer: results of a longitudinal CT study

Clin Imaging. 2012 Jul-Aug;36(4):263-6. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2011.10.001. Epub 2012 Jun 8.

Abstract

We retrospectively reviewed the records of 153 patients with breast cancer undergoing serial abdominal computed tomography (CT). During a median follow-up of 40 months, 2 (1.4%) of 153 patients developed bilateral hydronephrosis in the absence of radiologically visible obstructing pathology. Surgery confirmed malignant infiltration of the ureters by metastatic lobular carcinoma in both patients, suggesting that new unexplained bilateral hydronephrosis on serial CT in patients with breast cancer is likely to reflect infiltrative retroperitoneal involvement of the ureters by metastatic lobular carcinoma.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Breast Neoplasms / mortality
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy
  • Carcinoma, Lobular / mortality
  • Carcinoma, Lobular / secondary*
  • Carcinoma, Lobular / therapy
  • Databases, Factual
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydronephrosis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Hydronephrosis / epidemiology
  • Hydronephrosis / etiology*
  • Incidence
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted*
  • Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / mortality
  • Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Assessment
  • Survival Analysis
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods