Abstract

Anthracosis mostly occurs at the lung and esophageal anthracosis has rarely been reported. As a result, the pathogenesis and prognosis of esophageal anthracosis is currently unclear. In previous reports, esophageal anthracosis has been mostly observed as relatively flat lesions that require differentiation from malignant melanoma. We report here on a case of esophageal anthracosis with polypoid features in a seventy year old male patient with hepatocellular carcinoma. The patient had undergone endoscopic examination and a 1 cm sized black polypoid lesion was observed. Pathology revealed macrophages phagocyting black carbon pigments beneath the mucosal epithelium and the diagnosis of esophageal anthracosis was made. (Korean J Gastrointest Endosc 2009;38:20-23)

• Keywords: Anthracosis, Esophagus, Polyp