An unusual case of thymic carcinoma with endobronchial metastases manifesting as centrilobular opacities.
We report a case of a 75-year-old man having unusual manifestation of thymic carcinoma associated with endobronchial metastases. To our knowledge, endobronchial metastases secondary to thymic carcinoma has not been reported in the literature. On high-resolution computed tomograms, the tree-in-bud centrilobular opacities caused by metastatic cells accumulating within the small bronchioles is indistinguishable from that caused by inflammatory process. Thus, in patients with thymic carcinoma and persistent tree-in-bud centrilobular opacities, endobronchial metastatic disease should be considered.
Kao
Hung-Wen
HW
Departments of Radiology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Yu
Cheng-Ping
CP
Tzao
Ching
C
Lin
Wen-Chiung
WC
Hsu
Hsian-He
HH
Chen
Cheng-Yu
CY
D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013945:Thymoma / Q000473:pathology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed