title: Mediastinal teratoma mimicking pleural effusion on chest X-rays.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. miguelacjr@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Miguel Angelo Martins
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.forename: Nelson Perelman
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Rosemberg
authors.forename: Miguel Angelo Martins
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.forename: Angela Potter
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.forename: Cacio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wietzycoscki
authors.forename: Cleiton
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mespaque
mesh_terms: 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