title: Imaging of invasive thymoma in the costophrenic recess presenting as thickening of arcuate ligaments of the diaphragm.
abstract: Imaging findings in a patient with invasive thymoma in the costophrenic recess are presented, in whom computed tomography (CT) and MRI revealed lateral arcuate ligament thickening. Increased fluoro-deoxy-glucose (FDG) uptake on subsequent positron emission tomography (PET)/CT was helpful in suggesting the correct diagnosis. A second patient with much more obvious invasive thymoma occurring in the costophrenic recess is presented for comparison. It is a well-known fact that thymic malignancies can metastasize to the pleura even years after resection. Rarely, they may present as focal thickening of the diaphragmatic lateral arcuate ligament.
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health and Sciences University. Electronic address: coakleyf@ohsu.edu.
authors.forename: Fergus V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Coakley
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health and Sciences University.
authors.forename: Michael John
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.affiliation: University of California San Francisco.
authors.forename: Spencer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Behr
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health and Sciences University.
authors.forename: Bryan R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health and Sciences University.
authors.forename: Elena K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Korngold
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health and Sciences University.
authors.forename: Ryne A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Didier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008022:Ligaments / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D013945:Thymoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: Arcuate ligament; Computed tomography; FDG/PE; Lateral; Thymoma