title: Localized thymic amyloidosis presenting with myasthenia gravis: case report.
abstract: A mediastinal mass was incidentally found on chest radiography in a 46-yr-old woman who had had myasthenia gravis (MG) for 2 months. Computed tomography revealed a 4-cm in size, well-defined, and lobulating mass with nodular calcification that was located in the thymus. Microscopically, the mass consisted of diffuse amorphous eosinophilic materials. These deposits exhibited apple-green birefringence under polarized light microscopy after Congo red staining. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that they were positive for both kappa and lambda light chains and negative for amyloid A. A diagnosis of localized primary thymic amyloidosis was finally made. After thymectomy, the symptoms of MG were controlled with reduced corticosteroid requirements. Localized thymic amyloidosis associated with MG has not been reported to date.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Myoung
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Moon
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Si Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Ok-Jun
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000276:immunology; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains / Q000276:immunology; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013934:Thymectomy; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains
keywords: Amyloidosis; Mediastinum; Myasthenia Gravis; Thymus