Mediastinal teratoma mimicking pleural effusion on chest X-rays.
Teratomas account for 8-13% of all mediastinal tumors. A 27-year-old patient presented with chest pain and dyspnea of prolonged evolution. A chest X-ray revealed near total opacification of the right hemithorax. On a tomography scan of the chest, a collection of heterogeneous fluid, with irregular borders and 10.1 x 11.7 cm in size, was seen in the pleura of the lower two-thirds of the right hemithorax but was not encroaching on any of the adjacent structures. Based on the hypothesis that these findings represented a benign mediastinal teratoma, an exploratory thoracotomy was performed, during which such a teratoma was found and completely excised. The post-operative evolution was favorable. The atypical presentation and considerable growth of the tumor hindered the pre-operative diagnosis.
de Castro
Miguel Angelo Martins
MA
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. miguelacjr@hotmail.com
Rosemberg
Nelson Perelman
NP
de Castro
Miguel Angelo Martins
MA
de Castro
Angela Potter
AP
Wietzycoscki
Cacio
C
Mespaque
Cleiton
C
D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013724:Teratoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed