What causes mediastinal lipomatosis?
Mediastinal lipomatosis is a rare benign condition characterized by deposition of mature adipose tissue within the mediastinum, distorting the mediastinal silhouette. Conditions causing mediastinal lipomatosis are Cushing’s disease, steroid use, alcoholism, obesity, Diabetes mellitus.
What is Thymolipoma?
Thymolipoma is an uncommon benign neoplasm of the thymus composed of mature adipose and thymic tissue. The diagnosis of thymolipoma should be considered in the case of a mediastinal mass with fat density, especially if it is interspersed with strands of soft tissue attenuation on computed tomography scans.
What is pleural fat?
Pleural lipomas are benign soft-tissue neoplasms that originate from the submesothelial layers of parietal pleura and extend into the subpleural, pleural, or extrapleural space. They are soft, encapsulated fatty tumors that demonstrate slow growth (,4). In addition, lipomas can occasionally arise from the diaphragm.
What is mediastinal teratoma?
A mediastinal teratoma is classified a tumor that derives from germ cells. The anterior mediastinum is the most frequent area of extragonadal germ cell tumors [1]. It is rare and usually benign. Most of the symptoms are as a result of compression of adjacent structures.
What is mediastinal Thymolipoma?
Thymolipoma is a very rare mediastinal tumor composing mature adipose and thymic tissue arising from thymus gland. It is a rare and benign mesenchymal tumor of mediastinum that is often asymptomatic.
What is mediastinal fat?
Mediastinal lipomas are similar to lipomas elsewhere appearing as a slow growing, encapsulated mass with homogeneous fat attenuation. These lesions occur most commonly in the anterior mediastinum. 1,4. If excessive, unencapsulated fat is noted in the mediastinum, the term mediastinal lipomatosis is favoured.
Are chest wall tumors cancerous?
The chest cavity is a cage of bone and muscle that holds the lungs, heart, and other vital organs. Like all tumors, chest wall tumors may be malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous), and may originate there or have spread from elsewhere. Only about five percent of chest wall tumors are found to be cancerous.
Is the mediastinal in the lung?
The mediastinum is the area that separates the lungs. It is surrounded by the breastbone in front and the spine in back, with the lungs on either side. It encompasses the heart, aorta, esophagus, thymus (a gland in the back of the neck) and trachea (windpipe).
What is mediastinal lipomatosis?
Mediastinal lipomatosis refers to a condition where there is a deposition of a large amount of mature adipose tissue in the mediastinum. It is a relatively common benign cause of mediastinal widening.
What is a posterior mediastinal tumor?
In children, tumors are commonly found in the posterior (back) mediastinum. These mediastinal tumors often begin in the nerves and are typically not cancerous. In adults, most mediastinal tumors occur in the anterior (front) mediastinum and are generally malignant (cancerous) lymphomas or thymomas.
How is mediastinal lipomatosis diagnosed?
The diagnosis of mediastinal lipomatosis is generally made by observation of mediastinal enlargement on chest graphy and demonstration of intensity changes related to fat on CT or MR imaging.
What is the mediastinum divided into?
The mediastinum is divided into three sections. Tumors (also called neoplasms) are masses of cells. They can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). Mediastinal tumors are growths that form in the area of the chest that separates the lungs.
