An Unusual Case of Superior Vena Cava Syndrome Caused by the Intravascular Invasion of an Invasive Thymoma.
10.4046/trd.2013.75.5.210
- Author:
Hyung Joon KIM
1
;
Sun Young CHO
;
Woo Hee CHO
;
Do Hyun LEE
;
Do Hyoung LIM
;
Pil Won SEO
;
Mi Hyun PARK
;
Wonae LEE
;
Jai Hyuen LEE
;
Doh Hyung KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea. kimdh@dankook.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Thymoma;
Superior Vena Cava Syndrome;
Positron-Emission Tomography
- MeSH:
Adult;
Brachiocephalic Veins;
Electrons;
Female;
Humans;
Positron-Emission Tomography;
Superior Vena Cava Syndrome*;
Thorax;
Thrombosis;
Thymoma*;
Vena Cava, Superior*
- From:Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
2013;75(5):210-213
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is usually caused by extrinsic compression or invasion of the superior vena cava (SVC) by malignant tumors involving mediastinal structures. Although thymomas are well-known causes of SVCS, cases of SVCS caused by malignant thymomas protruding into adjacent vessels draining the SVC with thrombosis have been very rarely reported worldwide. We experienced a 39-year-old female patient with SVCS that developed after the direct invasion of the left brachiocephalic vein (LBCV) and SVC by an anterior mediastinal mass with a high maximum standardized uptake value on the chest computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography-CT. Based on these results, she underwent en bloc resection of the tumor, including removal of the involved vessels, and was eventually diagnosed as having a type B2 thymoma permeating into the LBCV and SVC. We present this case as a very rare form of SVCS caused by an invasive thymoma.
