Mediastinal Masses on CXR
Mediastinal Masses on CXR
Anterior mediastinal masses:
teratoma
thymoma
thymolipoma
thymic cancer
thymic carcinoid
thymic cyst
thymic hyperplasia
thoracic thyroid
terrible lymphoma
Middle Mediastinal masses:
Vascular tumors (aortic aneurysm)
Lymph node enlargement or metastases
Pleuropericardial cyst
bronchial carcinoma
Bronchogenic cysts
Sarcoidosis
TB
Posterior mediastinal masses:
Hodgkin's lymphoma
NHL
neurogenic tumors
bronchial cysts
enterogenic cysts
abscess
pericardial cysts
plasmacytoma.
germ cell tumor
CXR showing mediastinal lymphadenopathy.
CT scanning is the most pertinent imaging technique for evaluating mediastinal masses.
Structures in the anterior mediastinum: thymus, ant. mediastinal LN, and the internal mammary arteries and veins.
Structures in the middle mediastinum: heart, ascending and transverse arches of the aorta, the venae cava, the brachiocephalic arteries and veins, the phrenic nerves, the trachea, main bronchi, their contiguous lymph nodes, and the pulmonary arteries and veins.
Structures in the posterior mediastinum: descending thoracic aorta, esophagus, thoracic duct, azygous and hemiazygous veins, and the posterior group of mediastinal lymph nodes