[A case of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis. Diagnostic and therapeutic problems]

The use of the modern diagnostic imaging techniques allows in most cases a diagnosis of nature of the lesions involving parenchymal organs. The authors report a case of renal xantogranuloma, rare pseudotumoral inflammatory pathology, treated by radical extended nephrectomy on the basis of a pre-operative diagnosis of malignant tumor. Despite the risk of false positives, in front of a renal mass whose nature is sufficiently characterized by the imaging techniques, the routine use of more invasive investigations such as arteriography and percutaneous needle biopsy seems not justified.