Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis is a severe, chronic kidney infection that can destroy kidney tissue over time.
Symptoms may include fever, flank pain, tiredness, weight loss, repeated urinary infection, a kidney-area swelling, or generally feeling unwell for a long time.
Imaging helps show whether the kidney is enlarged, damaged, obstructed by stones, or surrounded by infection and helps plan treatment.
CT is especially useful because it can show stones, obstruction, kidney enlargement, and the destructive inflammatory pattern.
Treatment often involves antibiotics and, in advanced cases, surgery because the kidney may be badly damaged.
This entry explains the condition. The next step is having a radiologist interpret your specific scan, not a general definition.
