title: Xanthogranulomatous pancreatitis presents as a solid tumor mass: a case report.
abstract: Xanthogranulomatous inflammation (XGI) is a rare, idiopathic process in which lipid-laden histiocytes are deposited at various locations in the body. Although XGI has been reported to occur in various organs such as the gallbladder, kidney, bone, stomach, colon, appendix, lymph nodes, urachus, and urinary bladder and in soft tissues, xanthogranulomatous pancreatitis (XGP) is extremely rare. Herein, we report a case of XGP occurring in a 70-yr-old woman, who presented with abdominal pain for several months. On physical examination, mild epigastric tenderness was noted. Abdomen CT scan revealed a low attenuated mass in uncinate process of pancreas, suggesting malignant lesion. Whipple's operation was performed and the final pathologic diagnosis was XGP. The patient's post-operative course was uneventful, and no recurrence was found within 7 months of the operation. When a pancreatic mass does not show clinico-radiological features typical of common pancreatic neoplasms, XGP should be considered for a differential diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital, 170 Juhwa-ro, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang, Korea. hskim@paik.ac.kr
authors.forename: Han-Seong
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mee
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Sun Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hwa Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Tae Jun
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Jung Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Chul-Nam
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004386:Duodenum / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D010179:Pancreas / Q000601:surgery; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014973:Xanthomatosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology