Abstract
Thymic epidermoid cysts are an extremely rare entity. These arise from epidermal cells that migrate to the thymus. The radiologic diagnosis of this rare lesion is challenging. We describe a case of an otherwise healthy 35-year-old woman who presented with an acute onset of chest pain and shortness of breath. She was found to have an anterior mediastinal mass. The imaging findings were, however, not characteristic for any single diagnostic entity. Since the imaging was inconclusive, surgical resection was performed for definitive diagnosis. The mass was found to be a thymic epidermoid cyst. This case underlines the significance for radiologists to be aware that epidermoid cysts can occur in the thymus and should be considered in the differential diagnosis for a heterogeneous anterior mediastinal mass.
Highlights
Thymic epidermoid cysts are extremely rare with only three cases described in literature
She was evaluated with a chest computed tomography angiography (CTA) to evaluate possible pulmonary emboli
The chest CTA was negative for pulmonary emboli but incidentally demonstrated a homogenous 5 cm mass in the anterior mediastinum (Figures 1 and 2)
Summary
Thymic epidermoid cysts are extremely rare with only three cases described in literature. These are benign and carry an overall good prognosis. The location is atypical and imaging findings are nonspecific. Despite their benign nature, surgical resection is required to exclude malignancy and attain a definitive tissue diagnosis
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
