Cervical presentation of thymic cysts.
Sixteen cases of cervical thymic cyst are added to the previously reported fifty-six cases. Seventy-five per cent of the patients were less than twenty years old. Eighty per cent complained of a painless mass preoperatively. The histologic diagnosis of cervical thymic cyst was made if thymic epithelial elements could be found adjacent to the cyst cavity; Hassall's corpuscles were usually present. Cholesterol granulomata could usually be identified. The theories of origin of cervical thymic cyst are discussed.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003560:Cysts / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000473:pathology