Intravesical hexyl-aminolevulinate used to detect upper tract carcinoma in situ during surveillance ureteroscopy: A case report and review

Blue-light cystoscopy with intravesical hexyl-aminolevulinate has been shown to improve identification of bladder carcinoma. The application of photodynamic techniques in the upper tract has not been well studied. We present a patient with a patulous ureteral orifice allowing for dwelling of photodynamic reagent and cystoscopic evaluation of the distal ureter. This case was significant for blue light fluorescent, biopsy proven upper tract carcinoma in situ that otherwise would have been a benign examination using traditional white light technique. Future work should be done to study the use of photodynamic techniques in the evaluation of upper tract malignancies.