title: Mediastinal amyloidosis.
abstract: Systemic amyloidosis is an unusual cause of mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Thoracic surgeons are often called upon to establish a diagnosis in patients with mediastinal lymphadenopathy, so familiarity with mediastinal amyloidosis is valuable. We report our experience with 2 patients, and discuss the diagnostic role of mediastinoscopy and other less invasive biopsy techniques. General anesthesia may pose significant risks in this disease; nonoperative biopsy techniques should be considered if the diagnosis of amyloidosis is suspected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, USA. urschelj@fhs.mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Urschel
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Urschel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000473:pathology*; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged