Intrathoracic extramedullary haematopoiesis manifested as a neoplastic lesion within anterior mediastinum.
Intrathoracic extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH), the formation of apparently normal blood cells outside the confines of the bone marrow, is an uncommon but well-defined entity. It is usually associated with hematologic disorders and located in the lower paravertebral sulci or rarely in the pleura. We report a case of EMH, which presented in a patient without hematologic disorders and was manifested as an anterior mediastinal mass. The first interesting aspect of our case was that EMH occurred in a patient with normal laboratory findings and no past medical history of anemia. The second remarkable characteristic was that EMH manifested as an anterior mediastinal mass, mimicking a neoplastic lesion. Definitive diagnosis of EMH was established by a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical biopsy. In light of this diagnosis, no further surgical procedure was carried out.
Santini
Mario
M
Thoracic Surgery Unit, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy. mario.santini@unina2.it
Fiorelli
Alfonso
A
Vicidomini
Giovanni
G
Napolitano
Filomena
F
D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006411:Hematopoiesis, Extramedullary; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008482:Mediastinum; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed