Abstract
Ectopic thymoma rarely presents as an intrathoracic tumor. We report a case of ectopic thymoma presenting as a giant right intrathoracic tumor that was treated with resection. The patient was a 50-year-old Japanese woman who presented with the chief complaint of chest pain. Detailed examination revealed a solid tumor measuring 15 × 10 × 8 cm in diameter, with a clear border. The Imaging findings suggested a solitary fibrous tumor, and surgery was performed. At surgery, the tumor was found to beadherent to the diaphragm, mediastinal pleura, and lower lobe of the lung, although it could be dissected with relative ease and was removed. Pathological diagnosis indicated a type B1 tumor with no capsular invasion according to the World Health Organization classification, and a diagnosis of Masaoka stage I thymoma was made. No continuity with the normal thymus tissue was seen, and the thymoma was considered to be derived from ectopic thymic tissue in the pleura.
Highlights
Thymomas usually manifest in the anterior-superior mediastinum, and ectopic thymomas account for only 4% of all thymomas
A patient with a giant intrathoracic tumor that was discovered during a clinical workup to determine the cause of chest pain in the patient
The tumor was diagnosed as a thymoma that was difficult to differentiate from solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) by diagnostic imaging
Summary
Thymomas usually manifest in the anterior-superior mediastinum, and ectopic thymomas account for only 4% of all thymomas. Intrathoracic tumors of pleural origin are rather rare. A patient with a giant intrathoracic tumor that was discovered during a clinical workup to determine the cause of chest pain in the patient.
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