Micronodular Thymoma with Lymphoid Stroma: A Mediastinal Mass Masquerading as a Pericardial Mass

Kent Swimley; Hilda M. Gonzalez-Bonilla; Alpana Senapati; Karla M. Kurrelmeyer

doi:10.14797/mdcvj.516

Micronodular Thymoma with Lymphoid Stroma: A Mediastinal Mass Masquerading as a Pericardial Mass

Methodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Journal

Volume 17 (2021): Issue 3

By: Kent Swimley , Hilda M. Gonzalez-Bonilla , Alpana Senapati and Karla M. Kurrelmeyer

Open Access

|Oct 2021

Abstract

A 61-year-old man presented to the emergency room with lower extremity edema. Physical exam was only remarkable for a diastolic murmur in the right carotid area and left lower extremity edema. Venous Doppler revealed a deep venous thrombosis in the left lower extremity. Chest computed tomography (CT) with intravenous contrast ruled out pulmonary embolism but showed a mediastinal mass adjacent to the pericardium. Further imaging with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and cardiac CT angiography (CCTA) enabled localization and evaluation of the structural characteristics of the mass. The decision was made to excise the mass due to increasing size compared with its measurements on prior chest CTs and a high degree of vascularization seen on CMR and CCTA, which was concerning for an enlarging arteriovenous malformation or a hemangioma. However, histopathologic analysis of the mass revealed it to be a micronodular thymoma.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14797/mdcvj.516 | Journal eISSN: 1947-6108

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Language: English

Page range: 18 - 23

Submitted on: Apr 16, 2021

Accepted on: May 26, 2021

Published on: Oct 19, 2021

Published by: Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

micronodular thymoma,

lymphoid stroma,

mediastinal mass

© 2021 Kent Swimley, Hilda M. Gonzalez-Bonilla, Alpana Senapati, Karla M. Kurrelmeyer, published by Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License.

Volume 17 (2021): Issue 3