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Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Thymic carcinoma CT

Introduction

Overview

Overview

Chest CT scan may be helpful in the diagnosis of thymic carcinoma. On CT scan of the chest, thymic carcinoma is characterized by lobulated mass with irregular borders, heterogeneous attenuation and mediastinal fat invasion with areas of necrosis, haemorrhage, calcification, or cyst formation.Large and highly aggressive anterior mediastinal mass. Areas of necrosis, haemorrhage, calcification, or cyst formation Aross invasion of contiguous mediastinal structures and wide spread to involve distant intrathoracic sites. High incidence of extrathoracic metastases Lobulated mass with irregular borders, heterogeneous attenuation, and mediastinal fat invasion. Pleural and pericardial effusion might also be seen on CT. Thymic carcinoma is singnificantly larger than thymoma on chest CT scan.

CT

CT

Findings on chest CT scan suggestive of thymic carcinoma include:[1]

  • Large and highly aggressive anterior mediastinal mass
  • Areas of necrosis, haemorrhage, calcification, or cyst formation
  • Aross invasion of contiguous mediastinal structures and wide spread to involve distant intrathoracic sites
  • High incidence of extrathoracic metastases
  • Lobulated mass with irregular borders, heterogeneous attenuation, and mediastinal fat invasion
  • Pleural and pericardial effusion might also be seen on CT.
  • Thymic carcinoma is singnificantly larger than thymoma on chest CT scan.
Chest CT showing pleural effusion and a mediastinic mass, suggestive of thymic carcinoma[2]

Image Courtesy of Radiopaedia and Copylefted.

References

References

  1. ↑ Thymic Carcinoma. Radiopaedia. http://radiopaedia.org/articles/thymic-carcinoma. Accessed on 3rd January, 2016.
  2. ↑ “Malignant thymoma (thymic carcinoma)”. Retrieved 27 February 2014. Text “Radiology Case ” ignored (help); Text ” Radiopaedia.org ” ignored (help)

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Alejandro Lemor, M.D. [2]Parminder Dhingra, M.D. [3]