Xanthoma of the urinary bladder: a rare benign condition which may be mistaken for malignancy

A 77-year-old man was referred with a history of recurrent urinary tract infections and a raised prostate-specific antigen. He was found to have an atypical lesion of the urinary bladder on cystoscopic examination. A preoperative MRI study suggested no evidence of malignancy and histology was consistent with urinary bladder xanthoma. This is a benign and exceedingly rare condition which requires no further treatment or follow-up. Patients should, however, have a lipid profile measured. Our case illustrates the use of MRI as an adjunct to aid operative planning. Although not essential, it may help to avoid an over aggressive initial resection in more precarious areas of the urinary bladder.