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CT findings in malignant tumors of thymic epithelium
- Source :
- Journal of computer assisted tomography. 19(2)
- Publication Year :
- 1995
-
Abstract
- Objective Differentiation of invasive thymoma from thymic carcinoma is important because of their different clinical behaviors. Retrospectively, we evaluated the CT findings of invasive thymomas and thymic carcinomas to determine the differential points between them. Materials and methods We reviewed the CT scans of 12 patients with invasive thymoma and 10 patients with thymic carcinoma that were confirmed by surgery or percutaneous needle aspiration. We analyzed CT scans, paying special attention to homogeneity, attenuation, invasion of adjacent mediastinal structures, pleural implants, mediastinal nodes, and extramediastinal metastases. Results Most of the invasive thymomas and thymic carcinomas were homogeneous and isodense with chest wall muscle. Irregular infiltration into the adjacent organ suggesting invasion was seen in 11 patients (92%) with invasive thymoma and 8 patients (80%) with thymic carcinoma. Pleural implants were observed in four patients (33%) with invasive thymoma and one patient (10%) with thymic carcinoma. Mediastinal lymphadenopathy was seen in one patient (8%) with invasive thymoma and four patients (40%) with thymic carcinoma. Metastases to the lung, adrenal glands, or liver were observed in four patients (40%) with thymic carcinoma but none with invasive thymoma. Conclusion Despite the similarities of CT findings between invasive thymoma and thymic carcinoma, there are some differential points. Thymic carcinomas were infiltrating tumor and were more commonly associated with mediastinal nodes and extrathymic metastases, but less commonly associated with pleural implants than invasive thymoma.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Pathology
medicine.medical_specialty
Thymoma
Percutaneous
Mediastinal lymphadenopathy
hemic and lymphatic diseases
Carcinoma
Medicine
Humans
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and imaging
Thymic carcinoma
Aged
Retrospective Studies
Malignant Thymoma
Lung
Epithelioma
business.industry
Thymus Neoplasms
Middle Aged
medicine.disease
medicine.anatomical_structure
Female
business
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 03638715
- Volume :
- 19
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of computer assisted tomography
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....fd3f3cd0183365fb6368aab6bdbc80c3