Ectopic thymic tissue in the paediatric age group

Chu, W. C. W.; Metreweli, C.

doi:10.1034/j.1600-0455.2002.430207.x

Cited by 4 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Elective surgery is required because of long-term risks, especially infection and malignancy 3. Thymic hyperplasia (usually asymptomatic and less extended than in our case) is not rare in infancy but has never been described in association with CCAM 4 5. In our case, the space left by surgical resection was replaced by an enlarged thymus gland mimicking CCAM recurrence or extensive lung atelectasia.…”

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confidence: 58%

An unusual enlarged thymus

Patria

Guez

Balzani

et al. 2011

Archives of Disease in Childhood

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We describe the case of a 22-month-old boy attending a follow-up visit at our paediatric pulmonology outpatient clinic.At 30 weeks' gestational age, fetal ultrasonography had suggested malformation of the upper lobe of the left lung. He was born at term by caesarean section and physiologically adapted to extrauterine life. CT at birth showed extended dishomogeneous consolidation in the upper lobe of the left lung consistent with congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM). Bronchoscopy and surgical resection 22 days later allowed the CCAM to be microscopically classifi ed as type II. Slow postoperative recovery of spontaneous breathing required 13 days' assisted ventilation. Upon discharge, chest radiography showed lightening of the previous opacity.The child remained asymptomatic and grew normally, but follow-up chest radiography (required about 2 years after surgery) showed renewed consolidation in the upper lobe of the left lung (fi gure 1A), and CT with contrast revealed an enlarged thymus fi lling the space of the lobe (fi gure 1B).CCAM is rare and usually diagnosed ultrasonographically before birth. 1 2 Elective surgery is required because of longterm risks, especially infection and malignancy. 3 Thymic hyperplasia (usually asymptomatic and less extended than in our case) is not rare in infancy but has never been described in association with CCAM. 4 5 In our case, the space left by surgical resection was replaced by an enlarged thymus gland mimicking CCAM recurrence or extensive lung atelectasia.

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confidence: 58%

An unusual enlarged thymus

Patria

Guez

Balzani

et al. 2011

Archives of Disease in Childhood

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“…When the thymus has not fully descended into the mediastinum, thymic tissue can be found in the neck 7 8 9 . Several authors have described the US characteristics of ETT 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 . According to their reports, the lesions are well-defined, angular, solid nodules with multiple inner echogenic foci and linear structures.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phantom Nodules Detected by Ultrasound Examination of the Neck: The Possibility of Ectopic Cervical Thymic Tissue in Adults

Ota

Hirokawa

Suzuki

et al. 2018

Ultrasound Int Open

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PurposeThe aim of this study was to investigate the ultrasound characteristics and clinical significance of slightly hyperechoic lesions, referred to as phantom nodules, in the perithyroidal area in patients.Materials and MethodsA total of 128 patients who underwent thyroidectomy with central neck lymph node dissection at Kuma Hospital in Hyogo, Japan were included in the study. We detected 16 phantom nodules during preoperative ultrasound examinations, defined as slightly hyperechoic masses located in the perithyroidal areas, in 13 of these 128 patients (10.2%; mean age: 55.6 years, range: 36–75 years).ResultsAll phantom nodules were located in the caudal region of the thyroid gland, and the mean maximum dimension was 7.2 mm. 12 of the 16 nodules were round or oval, while the remaining 4 were fusiform and molded by the surrounding tissue. All nodules were well-defined, solid, homogeneous, hyperechoic masses. No speckled echo pattern, internal linear echo, or vascular flow signal was observed. All 4 nodules subjected to histological examination were composed of ectopic thymic tissue. In 2 of these 4, the parenchyma was severely involuted and almost entirely replaced by adipose tissue.ConclusionTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first report wherein some of the detected hyperechoic perithyroidal masses were composed of ectopic thymic tissue, and some were primarily composed of adipose tissue that completely replaced involuted ectopic thymic tissue. The results of the study suggest that these so-called phantom nodules are clinically insignificant and do not require fine needle aspiration cytology or further investigation.

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“…The track is bounded in its upper part anterolaterally by the carotid arteries, posteromedially by the oesophagus and anteromedially by the thyroid gland. After descent, the thymus gland is located in the anterior mediastinum overlying the pericardium and the great vessels at the base of the heart 2,5 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aberrant cervical thymus may be located along the embryological pathway of migration from the angle of the mandible to the superior mediastinum. Incidental findings of abnormally positioned thymic tissue have been reported in a series of paediatric neck ultrasounds and necropsies 1,2 . Reported clinical cases have been less frequent and usually asymptomatic 3 .…”

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confidence: 99%