State of the Art: MR Imaging of Thymoma

Brett W Carter; Marcelo F K Benveniste; Mylene T Truong; Edith M Marom

doi:10.1016/j.mric.2015.01.005

State of the Art: MR Imaging of Thymoma

Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 2015 May;23(2):165-77. doi: 10.1016/j.mric.2015.01.005.

Authors

Brett W Carter¹, Marcelo F K Benveniste², Mylene T Truong², Edith M Marom²

Affiliations

¹ Section of Thoracic Imaging, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1478, Houston, TX 77030-4008, USA. Electronic address: bcarter2@mdanderson.org.
² Section of Thoracic Imaging, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1478, Houston, TX 77030-4008, USA.

PMID: 25952513
DOI: 10.1016/j.mric.2015.01.005

Abstract

Thymoma is the most common primary malignancy of the anterior mediastinum and the most common thymic epithelial neoplasm, but it is a rare tumor that constitutes less than 1% of adult malignancies. Computed tomography (CT) is currently the imaging modality of choice for distinguishing thymoma from other anterior mediastinal masses, characterizing the primary tumor, and staging the disease. However, magnetic resonance imaging is also effective in evaluating and characterizing anterior mediastinal masses and staging thymoma in patients with contraindications to contrast-material-enhanced CT such as contrast allergy and/or renal failure.

Keywords: Anterior; MR imaging; Mediastinum; Staging; Thymoma; Thymus.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Male
Mediastinal Neoplasms / diagnosis
Middle Aged
Thymoma / diagnosis*
Thymus Neoplasms / diagnosis*