The Thymus: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Since first being described as such by Galen of Pergamum (130-200 ad), the thymus has remained an "organ of mystery" throughout the 2000-year history of medicine. The thymus reaches its maximum weight in puberty and subsequently undergoes involution, and thus is hardly an eye-catching structure on imaging studies performed in healthy adults. However, once there has been involvement of the thymus by a disease process, the gland demonstrates a variety of clinical and radiologic manifestations that require comprehensive understanding of each entity. Furthermore, it is important for radiologists to be familiar with the current World Health Organization histologic classification scheme for thymic epithelial tumors and to understand its clinical-pathologic, radiologic, and prognostic features.

Evaluation of anterior mediastinal solid tumors by CT perfusion: a preliminary study

“…In lymphoma, CT may show irregular contours, surface lobulation without vascular invasion with associated mediastinal lymphadenopathy and pleural effusion (2,13). In general, differentiation of lymphoma from other thymic lesions, particularly thymoma, is difficult on the basis of imaging findings alone, and diagnosis may require invasive procedures (15). In our study, BV was significantly lower in lymphoma compared with thymoma, enabling diagnosis by CT perfusion.…”

A Review of Thymic Tumors

“…The word thymus is derived from Greek word thumos meaning heart or soul possibly because of its location or else comes from the herb thyme to which it resembles [1]. The thymus is a specialized pinkish grey colored soft lobulated organ located anatomically in anterior superior mediastinum in front of heart and behind sternum.…”

Giant Mediastinal Thymic Cyst

“…[3,5,6] The thymus is normally located in the anterior mediastinum, extending from the left brachiocephalic vein superiorly to the base of the great vessels inferiorly. It normally lies anterior to the ascending aorta, the pulmonary outflow tract, and the superior vena cava.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6] Knowing that the thymus gland appears from the 3rd pharyngeal punch in the embryo, the thymic cyst can be found on the neck but also in the mediastinum where in the end finishes the placing of the thymus gland, but it is possible to find it distally in some of the hemithoracis. [4][5][6][7] Small mediastinal cysts, including also the thymic are without any clinical manifestations, and very often they don't need any therapeutic treatment. [4][5][6] The bigger cysts in the mediastinum, with compressed structures around, give different clinical manifestations, and need therapeutic treatment like puncture or extirpation of the cyst.…”

“…[4][5][6][7] Small mediastinal cysts, including also the thymic are without any clinical manifestations, and very often they don't need any therapeutic treatment. [4][5][6] The bigger cysts in the mediastinum, with compressed structures around, give different clinical manifestations, and need therapeutic treatment like puncture or extirpation of the cyst. [3] In this paper we present giant mediastinal cyst, which originated from the thymus gland and which starts from the upper and anterior mediastinum, but goes down to both pleural spaces, especially the right one, where the cyst filled the distal third of the right chest cavity.…”