Multilocular thymic cysts can be easily misdiagnosed as malignant tumor on computer tomography: A case report.

Multilocular thymic cyst (MTC) is a rare mediastinal lesion which is considered to occur in the process of acquired inflammation. It is usually characterized by well-defined cystic density and is filled with transparent liquid. We report on a 39-year-old male with a cystic-solid mass in the anterior mediastinum. Computer tomography (CT) imaging showed that the mass was irregular with unclear boundaries. After injection of contrast agent, there was a slight enhancement of stripes and nodules. According to CT findings, it was diagnosed as thymic cancer. After surgery, MTC accompanied by bleeding and infection was confirmed by pathological examination. The main lesson of this case was that malignant thymic tumor and MTC of the anterior mediastinum sometimes exhibit similar CT findings. Caution is necessary in clinical work to avoid misdiagnosis. ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Citation

Jun Sun, Qing-Ning Yang, Yi Guo, Ping Zeng, Long-Yan Ma, Ling-Wen Kong, Bo-Ying Zhao, Chuan-Ming Li. Multilocular thymic cysts can be easily misdiagnosed as malignant tumor on computer tomography: A case report. World journal of clinical cases. 2024 Mar 16;12(8):1474-1480

PMID: 38576812

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