Acute kidney injury secondary to lymphomatous infiltration and the role of kidney biopsy

Abstract

We report a 47-year-old male patient who developed acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis, associated with massive enlargement of both kidneys. A part from intra-abdominal lymphadenopathy, there was no other organ or lymph node involvement. A kidney biopsy established the diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The patient received chemotherapy with good response. This case demonstrates that the kidney could be the primary organ involved in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In addition, we have shown that renal biopsy is adequate to make a diagnosis of lymphoma without the need to do more invasive testing.