Superior vena cava syndrome due to fibrosing mediastinitis histologically identical to xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis.

We present herein a case of superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome caused by localized fibrosing mediastinitis (FM), which had histological features similar to xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP). A 63-year-old womanpresented with facial swelling 5 months after undergoing right nephrectomy for XGP. Radiologic investigations of the chest confirmed the presence of SVC obstruction due to an intraluminal tumor. The histological features of the tumor were consistent with those of FM and were very similar to those of XGP. Although the pathogenesis of neither FM nor XGP is known, some pathogenic process of FM and XGP may be the same.(Internal Medicine 42: 56-59, 2003)