Mediastinal hemangioma is a rare tumor and only few cases have been reported in the literatures. We have experienced one case of cavernous hemangioma occuring at the superior vena cana. The patient was a thrity-five year old female with no specific symtoms except palpable cystic mass in the right cervical area. A routine chest radiography showed an upper mediastinal mass. Computed Tomography showed about 4x5 cm sized cystic mass communicating to the superior vena cava 2 cm above of the veno-atrial junction. After the evaluation, surgical excision was performed and the pathologic diagnosis was confirmed to cavernous hemangioma. Postoperative course was uneventful and the patient has been followed up without any problems.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Hemangioma ; Hemangioma, Cavernous* ; Humans ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; Radiography ; Thorax ; Vena Cava, Superior

Radiological analysis of chest lesions detected on chest radiographs or CT scans begins with their classification into parenchymal, pleural, or extrapleural lesions according to their presumed origin. The mediastinum is divided anatomically into the anterior, middle, and posterior mediastinal compartments, and localizing a mediastinal mass to one of these divisions can locationfacilitate their differential diagnosis. A differential diagnosis of a mediastinal mass is usually based on a number of findings, including its ; the structure from which it is arising; whether it is single, multifocal (involving several different areas or lymph node groups), or diffuse; its size and shape; its attenuation (fatty, fluid, soft-tissue, or a combination of these); the presence of calcification along with its characteristics and amount; and its opacification following the administration of contrast agents.
Classification ; Contrast Media ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Lymph Nodes ; Mediastinal Diseases* ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; Mediastinum ; Pleural Diseases ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We reviewed 40 cases of primary mediastinal tumors which were operated on at Seoul Paik Hospital from September, 1987 to December, 1995. Of these, 18 were male and 22 were female. The patient ranged in age from 4 years to 68 years with a mean age of 34.1 years. The most common symptoms included chest pain(12.5%), cough(12.5%), dyspnea(7.5%), and palpable neck mass(7.5%), and symptoms were absent at the time of diagnosis in 37.5% of cases. Chest roentgenography and computed tomography(CT) were performed in all patients, and magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) in 5 patients, and transthoracic needle aspiration (TTNA) performed in 22 patients. The sensitivity of TTNA was 72.7%(16 of 22 patients). The lesion was located 60% in the anterosuperior mediastinum, 35% in the posterior mediastinum, and 5% in the middle mediastinum. The primary tumors included thymic neoplasms(11 cases), germ cell tumors(7 cases), neurogenic tumors(10 cases) and a miscellaneous group. The malignant tumors(12.5%) were invasive thymoma(3 cases), spindle cell sarcoma(1 case), and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma(1 case). A complete excision was done in all 35 benign tumors and 3 malignant tumors. There was no operative mortality, and postoperative complications occurred in 3 cases.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Germ Cells ; Humans ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; Mediastinum ; Mortality ; Neck ; Needles ; Postoperative Complications ; Radiography ; Seoul ; Thorax

Primary pericardial sarcomas are extremely rare. The authors report a case of a 46-yr-old woman in whom a large mediastinal mass was discovered. The patient presented with cough, dyspnea, and orthopnea. Diagnostic investigations, such as echocardiography, computed tomography, and exploratory thoracotomy provided the evidence of a large mass in the mediastinum, attached by a broad base to the superior portion of the pericardium. A excisional biopsy was performed, and histologic examination of a biopsy specimen showed undifferentiated sarcoma. However, the complete removal of the mass was impossible due to adhesion to the adjacent great vessels. After the completion of the chemotherapy the patient was completely asymptomatic. However, follow-up transesophageal echocardiography showed a residual 3x4 cm-sized mass. The patient received the radiotherapy with a total dose of 55 Gy over 6 weeks. At present, there is no evidence of disease progression.
Biopsy ; Cough ; Disease Progression ; Dyspnea ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Human ; Mediastinal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/radiography ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Sarcoma/*diagnosis/radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma is a rare malignant neoplasm and little is known about its radiological features. We present here four cases of follicular dendritic cell sarcomas and we provide the image characteristics of these tumors to help radiologists recognize this entity when making a diagnosis.
Adult ; Dendritic Cell Sarcoma, Follicular/pathology/*radiography ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/radiography ; Head and Neck Neoplasms/pathology/radiography ; Humans ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms/radiography ; Middle Aged ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Mediastinal teratomas have been reported to mimic pleural effusions on chest radiography. Further evaluation of such tumours using computed tomography usually yields diagnostic characteristics that distinguish them from pleural collections. We report a patient with a mediastinal teratoma that mimicked a massive left pleural effusion on chest radiography and computed tomography.
Adult ; Contrast Media ; Female ; Humans ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Pleural Effusion ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Teratoma ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis is rare in adults, and it is even rarer for dysphagia to be the presenting symptom of mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis. Mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis with esophageal symptoms has been presented as esophageal ulceration, mucosal or submucosal mass with ulceration, fistula or sinus formation, extrinsic compression, or displacement of the esophagus. An exaggerated form of extrinsic compression may be presented as a submucosal tumor, radiologically or endoscopically. A barium esophagography of a 34 year-old woman with painful dysphagia revealed a large submucosal tumor-like mass on the mid-esophagus. The symptom was spontaneously improved over a 3-week period together with reduction of the mass size. A computed tomography of the chest disclosed an enlarged subcarinal lymph node and histologic examination of the specimen obtained by thoracoscopic biopsy brought about a diagnosis of tuberculosis. We herein report a case of mediastinal tuberculosis with unusual manifestations.
Adult ; Case Report ; Deglutition Disorders/*etiology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Esophageal Neoplasms/*diagnosis ; Esophagoscopy ; Esophagus/pathology/radiography ; Female ; Human ; Mediastinal Diseases/*complications/*diagnosis ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node/*complications/*diagnosis

Mediastinal tumors are uncommon in the pediatric age group and teratoma comprises 5 percent of mediastinal lesions developing in the anterior mediastinum. It is characterized by staying asymptomatically till adulthood and the most common symptoms of mediastinal teratoma are chest pains, dyspnea, and coughs due to the compression of adjacent airways. Untreated benign teratoma can cause complications such as atelectasis of the lung, adjacent tissue compression, infection and rupture of mass. The diagnosis can be made by chest radiography and chest CT, and the treatment of choice is surgical. We report a 2 year, 10 months male patient who presented with coughs, respiratory difficulty caused by pleural effusion due to rupture, and perforation of the mass. The diagnosis was made by chest radiography and chest CT and he underwent surgical resection successfully.
Chest Pain ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Humans ; Lung ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; Mediastinum ; Pleural Effusion* ; Pulmonary Atelectasis ; Radiography ; Rupture ; Teratoma* ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Plasmacytomas are a localized proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow, and are less frequently seen in extraosseous organs or tissues. Extramedullary plasmacytoma is a rare malignant neoplasm, and is especially uncommon when it arises from the mediastinum. Here, we report on a case of posterior mediastinal extramedullary plasmacytoma in a 64-year-old man. He was admitted with an asymptomatic right apical mediastinal mass, which was provisionally diagnosed as a neurogenic mass. However, a subsequent investigation revealed that this tumor was a rare case of IgG kappa type extramedullary plasmacytoma arising from the posterior mediastinum. The patient was treated with local radiation to the mediastinum and is doing well without further evidence of disease.
Biopsy, Needle ; Bone Marrow ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/radiotherapy ; Middle Aged ; Plasmacytoma/*diagnosis/radiotherapy ; Radiography, Thoracic ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We report an unusual case of 9.5-cm-sized embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma arose from a mediastinal mature teratoma in a 46-yr-old man. A man presented with chest trauma as a result of an accident at 10 September 2011. On chest X-ray, an anterior mediastinal mass was detected. To obtain further information, chest computed tomography (CT) with contrast enhancement was performed, revealing an anterior mediastinal mass. Complete surgical excision was performed and entire specimen was evaluated. Pathologic diagnosis was embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma arising in mature cystic teratoma. After surgical excision, two cycles of dactinomycin-based chemotherapy were performed. Lung metastasis was detected on follow up CT in September 2012, and wedge resection was performed. Pathological finding of the lung lesion showed same feature with that of primary rhabdomyosarcoma.
Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/therapeutic use ; Dactinomycin/therapeutic use ; Desmin/metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lung Neoplasms/radiography/secondary/surgery ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal/drug therapy/*radiography/surgery ; Rhabdomyosarcoma, Embryonal/drug therapy/*radiography/surgery ; Teratoma/*diagnosis/pathology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed