Endoscopic features of lanthanum deposition in the gastroduodenal mucosa

The purpose of this study was to investigate the endoscopic features of lanthanum deposition in the gastrointestinal mucosa. We retrospectively reviewed the endoscopic images of 10 patients who had received a histological diagnosis of lanthanum deposition in the gastroduodenal mucosa. The patients were 9 men and 1 woman with an average age of 64.3 years( range: 42 to 77 years). All patients were undergoing hemodialysis for chronic renal failure, and had been receiving lanthanum carbonate for 12 to 86 months. All patients had lanthanum deposition in the stomach, which presented as white lesions. Magnifying endoscopic observation, which was performed in six patients, also demonstrated the deposition of white microgranules. Three patients had lanthanum deposition in the duodenum, which manifested as white duodenal mucosa. In conclusion, lanthanum deposition in the gastroduodenal mucosa typically manifests as white lesions. Endoscopists should suspect lanthanum deposition when they detect white lesions in the gastroduodenal mucosa of patients who are taking lanthanum carbonate.