Thoracic Key

Mediastinal Teratoma Borislav A. Alexiev, M.D. Allen P. Burke, M.D. Terminology Mediastinal teratoma is a germ cell tumor that is composed of mature and/or immature somatic tissues derived from two…

Seminoma Borislav A. Alexiev, M.D. Anja C. Roden, M.D. Allen P. Burke, M.D. Incidence and Clinical Mediastinal seminoma may be pure, or associated with mixed germ cell tumors. The reported…

Mediastinitis Borislav A. Alexiev, M.D. Allen P. Burke, M.D. Terminology Mediastinitis is defined as acute or chronic inflammation of the mediastinal structures.1,2,3,4,5,6,7 Two broad categories of acute mediastinitis are acute…

Ectopic Thymus, Parathyroid, and Thyroid Borislav A. Alexiev, M.D. Fabio R. Tavora, M.D., Ph.D. Ectopic Thymus Most cases (80% to 90%) of ectopic thymus present as an asymptomatic mass in…

Bronchogenic Cysts Borislav A. Alexiev, M.D. Fabio R. Tavora, M.D., Ph.D. Allen P. Burke, M.D. Definition Bronchogenic cysts are uncommon congenital anomalies of foregut origin resulting from abnormal ventral budding…

Thymic Hyperplasia Borislav A. Alexiev, M.D. Allen P. Burke, M.D. Terminology Most thymic hyperplasia is the result of reactive lymphoid hyperplasia, frequently in the setting of autoimmune disease, notably myasthenia…

Thymic Cysts Borislav A. Alexiev, M.D. Allen P. Burke, M.D. Terminology Thymic cysts are relatively rare benign lesions. They comprise approximately two-thirds of anterior mediastinal cysts, but only 5% of…

Thymic Neuroendocrine Carcinomas/Tumors Borislav A. Alexiev, M.D. Anja C. Roden, M.D. Allen P. Burke, M.D. The histopathologic classification of primary neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the mediastinum is similar to that…