[The bilateral ureteral metastasis of a medullary carcinoma of the thyroid].

OBJECTIVE

To describe a case of bilateral hydronephrosis arising from a medullary thyroid carcinoma that had metastasized to both ureters.

METHODS/

RESULTS

A case of bilateral hydronephrosis in an asthmatic 54-year-old female patient who consulted for recurrent bilateral nephric colic is described. The patient presented with severe impairment of renal function. Patient evaluation with imaging techniques could not identify the cause of the hydronephrosis. Bilateral ureteral catheterization improved renal function. The patient died from an episode of bronchospasm. Autopsy revealed a medullary carcinoma of the thyroid that had metastasized to several organs, including both ureters, causing hydronephrosis.

CONCLUSIONS

In a patient presenting with bilateral hydronephrosis without a diagnosis of a primary tumor, it is difficult to suspect an underlying metastasis to the ureter. The imaging techniques are unable to detect small metastatic lesions.