title: Cervical ectopic thymus presenting as a painless neck mass in a child.
abstract: Ectopic cervical thymus is an uncommon entity to be considered in the differential diagnosis of neck masses in infants and children. The sonographic appearance of a hyporeflective mass with characteristic internal linear hyperreflections situated along the path of the thymopharyngeal duct should suggest diagnosis. On MRI, signal intensities differ significantly from other more common neck mass lesions in children such as a branchiogenic cyst, hemangioma and lymphangioma. Diagnosis can be confirmed by performing a sonographically guided thru-cut biopsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, AZ Sint-Augustinus, Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Foer
authors.forename: J Ph
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Vercruysse
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mariën
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colpaert
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pilet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pouillon
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Smet
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Casselman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Breysem
mesh_terms: D002828:Choristoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000473:pathology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media