Age-related changes in the thymus gland: CT-pathologic correlation

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · AJR, Am. J. Roentgenol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.141.2.241· OSTI ID:5662815

Moore, A V; Korobkin, M; Olanow, W; Heaston, D K; Ram, P C; Dunnick, N R; Silverman, P M

Recent reports suggest that computed tomography (CT) is useful for thymoma detection in patients with myasthenia gravis. However, that usefulness may be conditioned by the state of the normal thymus. To examine this concept, the CT findings in 64 consecutive patients with histologic confirmation of thymic status after thymectomy or thymic biopsy during mediastinal exploration were reviewed. The normal thymus has a bilobed, arrowhead-shaped cross section at all ages, with gradual focal or diffuse fatty infiltration of the parenchyma usually occurring between 20 and 40 years of age. A thymoma is usually a spherical or oval mass, often producing a focal, distinct bulge in the adjacent pleural reflection. The differentiation of thymoma from normal thymus should be possible in most patients if age-related changes in the normal gland are appreciated.

• Research Organization: Duke Univ. Medical Center, Durham, NC
• OSTI ID: 5662815
• Journal Information: AJR, Am. J. Roentgenol.; (United States), Vol. 141:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES
AGE DEPENDENCE
THYMUS
ANATOMY
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
NEOPLASMS
PATIENTS
THYMECTOMY
BODY
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
MEDICINE
ORGANS
SURGERY
TOMOGRAPHY
550602* - Medicine- External Radiation in Diagnostics- (1980-)
550800 - Morphology