Cervical ectopic thymus presenting as a painless neck mass in a child
De Foer, B.; Vercruysse, J.P.; Mariën, P.; Colpaert, C.; Pilet, B.; Pouillon, M.; Smet, M.H.; Casselman, J.W.; Breysem, L.
Jbr-Btr Organe de la Societe Royale Belge de Radiologie 90(4): 281-283
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 0302-7430 PMID: 17966246 Document Number: 613224
Ectopic cervical thymus is an uncommon entity to be considered in the differential diagnosis of neck masses in infants and children. The sonographic appearance of a hyporeflective mass with characteristic internal linear hyperreflections situated along the path of the thymopharyngeal duct should suggest diagnosis. On MRI, signal intensities differ significantly from other more common neck mass lesions in children such as a branchiogenic cyst, hemangioma and lymphangioma. Diagnosis can be confirmed by performing a sonographically guided thru-cut biopsy.