Unusual Presentation of Anterior Mediastinal Mass

Abstract

Approximately half of all mediastinal lesions are asymptomatic and are detected on chest radiographs taken for unrelated reasons. The absence of symptoms suggests that a lesion is (maybe) benign, whereas the presence of symptoms suggests malignancy. In adults, 48-62% of lesions are symptomatic, whereas the percentage of symptomatic lesions is higher in children (58 to 78%). The most common symptoms are cardiorespiratory in particular, chest pain and cough. Other manifestations are heaviness in the chest, dyspnea, signs of superior vena caval obstruction with facial swelling, and cyanosis. Recurrent respiratory infections are also common.