title: A tour of the thymus: a review of thymic lesions with radiologic and pathologic correlation.
abstract: The thymus is routinely encountered on cross-sectional imaging studies of the chest. It has a variable appearance, undergoes dynamic changes during periods of stress, and demonstrates numerous different pathologic lesions. Understanding the imaging characteristics of these different lesions facilitates accurate radiographic diagnosis and can prevent unnecessary follow-up imaging and intervention. This article will review normal thymic anatomy and development, thymic hyperplasia and associated medical conditions, and the imaging and pathologic features of various benign and malignant thymic lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. Electronic address: alan.goldstein@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Alan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
authors.forename: Hedieh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Honarpisheh
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
authors.forename: Ami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rubinowitz
mesh_terms: D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008067:Lipoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008476:Mediastinal Cyst / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013952:Thymus Hyperplasia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Thymic lesion; Thymic mass; Thymic tumour; Thymus