Published online Feb 8, 2017. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v6.i1.10
Peer-review started: May 10, 2016
First decision: July 25, 2016
Revised: September 29, 2016
Accepted: November 21, 2016
Article in press: November 22, 2016
Published online: February 8, 2017
Processing time: 270 Days and 19.3 Hours
The thymus is a lymphatic organ that undergoes dynamic changes with age and disease. It is important to be familiar with these physiological changes in the thymus gland to be able to identify pathology and make an accurate diagnosis. The thymus may be involved in multisystem disorders or show focal isolated lesions. The aim of this article is to review the radiological anatomy of the thymus, normal variants, and pathology including hyperplasia and benign/malignant lesions involving the thymus gland in the pediatric age group. We also propose an algorithmic approach for imaging evaluation of a suspected thymic mass on the basis of morphologic features.
Core tip: It is important for clinicians to be able to identify normal variations in thymic appearance and avoid over-investigation. However, it is equally important to have a high index of suspicion for abnormal thymus especially in multisystem disorders. We discuss normal variants, hyperplasia and focal masses; and propose an algorithmic approach to the evaluation of a suspected thymic mass based on imaging morphology.