TY - JOUR
T1 - Imaging findings of expansile lesions of the thymus
AU - Restrepo, Carlos S.
AU - Pandit, Meenakshi
AU - Rojas, Isabel C.
AU - Villamil, Miguel A.
AU - Gordillo, Hernan
AU - Lemos, Diego
AU - Mastrogiovanni, Luciano
AU - Diethelm, Lisa
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2008 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2005/1
Y1 - 2005/1
N2 - The purpose of this article is to review the imaging findings of the different expansile lesions of the thymus. Almost 50% of all mediastinal masses are located in the anterior mediastinum. The thymus is the most common site of origin of these masses. Several kinds of lesions can arise from this gland because it derives from the three embryonic germ cell layers. Primary neoplasms of the thymus are thymoma, thymolipomas, carcinoma, carcinoid, primary germ cell tumors, and lymphoma. The latter can also involve the organ in a secondary fashion. Other lesions that cause thymic enlargement and that can be confused with neoplasia are thymic cysts and thymic hyperplasia. Even though anterior mediastinal masses are first found on conventional radiographs, computed tomography and magnetic resonance are very useful additional studies for assessing the origin and extension of these masses. The basic concepts regarding embryology, anatomy, and histology relevant for the differential diagnosis of an enlarged thymic gland are also described.
AB - The purpose of this article is to review the imaging findings of the different expansile lesions of the thymus. Almost 50% of all mediastinal masses are located in the anterior mediastinum. The thymus is the most common site of origin of these masses. Several kinds of lesions can arise from this gland because it derives from the three embryonic germ cell layers. Primary neoplasms of the thymus are thymoma, thymolipomas, carcinoma, carcinoid, primary germ cell tumors, and lymphoma. The latter can also involve the organ in a secondary fashion. Other lesions that cause thymic enlargement and that can be confused with neoplasia are thymic cysts and thymic hyperplasia. Even though anterior mediastinal masses are first found on conventional radiographs, computed tomography and magnetic resonance are very useful additional studies for assessing the origin and extension of these masses. The basic concepts regarding embryology, anatomy, and histology relevant for the differential diagnosis of an enlarged thymic gland are also described.
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U2 - 10.1067/j.cpradiol.2004.10.001
DO - 10.1067/j.cpradiol.2004.10.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 15644860
AN - SCOPUS:12144279971
SN - 0363-0188
VL - 34
SP - 22
EP - 34
JO - Current Problems in Diagnostic Radiology
JF - Current Problems in Diagnostic Radiology
IS - 1
ER -