title: True thymic hyperplasia: a clinicopathological study.
abstract: In this report, we describe the clinicopathological features of 4 patients with true thymic hyperplasia. This controversial thymic lesion has only recently been defined as a variable, often massive enlargement of the thymus characterized by a nearly normal microscopic structure. Our study of 4 patients and review of the literature indicate that true thymic hyperplasia has a well-defined clinicopathological profile: prevalence in children or young male patients, absence of associated autoimmune diseases, and often presence of respiratory distress or peripheral blood lymphocytosis, or both. True thymic hyperplasia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of anterior mediastinal masses in children and young adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pescarmona
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Rendina
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Venuta
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Ruco
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Baroni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*