Ectopic thymus presenting as neck mass.

Yoshiteru Kakuno; Takashi Yamada; Hiroshi Mori; Mitsuru Matsuki; Isamu Narabayashi

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PubMed · 12508495

Ectopic thymus presenting as neck mass.

Yoshiteru Kakuno·Takashi Yamada·Hiroshi Mori·Mitsuru Matsuki·Isamu Narabayashi

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Abstract

A 3-month-old girl presented with an asymptomatic soft tissue mass in the right neck. Her preoperative data were normal. CECT of the neck showed a 3-cm solid mass with homogeneous mild enhancement without mass effect. CECT of the thorax showed a normal thymus. MR images showed a right submandibular mass with signal intensity identical to that of the mediastinal thymus. Although it was difficult to make a correct preoperative diagnosis, surgical microscopic examination demonstrated normal thymic tissue. Because ectopic thymus can occasionally present with life-threatening symptoms, and malignant transformations have been documented, complete excision of cervical ectopic thymus was advocated.

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Yoshiteru Kakuno, Takashi Yamada, Hiroshi Mori, Mitsuru Matsuki, Isamu Narabayashi. 2002. Ectopic thymus presenting as neck mass.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12508495/

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