title: CT and MRI findings of mucin-containing tumors and pseudotumors of the thorax: pictorial review.
abstract: Bronchial mucus has tomodensitometric features and MR signal intensity similar to that of water. However, chronic entrapped mucus collections, due to water reabsorption and higher protein content, can have CT attenuation values higher than 20 and reaching even 130 HU. Higher protein concentration also causes a sensible reduction in T1 relaxation time. The demonstration of mucus within a mediastinal, bronchial or pulmonary lesion is an important diagnostic clue permitting remarkable shortening of the list of differential diagnoses. This article illustrates the CT and MR findings allowing correct characterization of the mucus-containing lesions of mediastinum, bronchi, and lung.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiological Sciences, Policlinico G. Martino, University of Messina, 98100 Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaeta
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vinci
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Minutoli
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazziotti
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ascenti
authors.forename: Ignazio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Salamone
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lamberto
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blandino
mesh_terms: D002282:Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001994:Bronchogenic Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009093:Mucus; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed