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Lee, Park, Kim, Choi, and Park: Aberrant Cervical Thymus Mimicking Thyroid on Ultrasonography: A Case Report
Head and Neck Radiology
Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology

Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology 2012; 67(4): 231-233.

Published online: 8 October 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.0000/jksr.2012.67.4.231

Aberrant Cervical Thymus Mimicking Thyroid on Ultrasonography: A Case Report

Jeong Sub Lee, MD1, Ju Hyun Park, MD1, Bong Soo Kim, MD1, Jae Hyuck Choi, MD2, Ji Kang Park, MD1

1Department of Radiology, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.

2Department of Surgery, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea.

Corresponding author: Ji Kang Park, MD. Department of Radiology, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju National University School of Medicine, 15 Aran 13-gil, Jeju 690-767, Korea. Tel. 82-64-717-1371, Fax. 82-64-757-8276, jkcontrast@naver.com

Received 5 June 2012       Accepted 11 July 2012

Copyright © 2012 The Korean Society of Radiology

Abstract

Aberrant cervical thymus is rarely reported in adults. We report a case of solid aberrant cervical thymus in a 27-year-old female, which was found incidentally on ultrasonography for the evaluation of the thyroid cancer. On ultrasonography, the lesion was found between the left thyroid and common carotid artery without any remarkable interface echo, and had similar echogenicity to the thyroid. The lesion extended to the upper pole of the left thyroid.

Keywords: Thymus Gland, Thyroid, Ultrasonography

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1
Ultrasonography reveals a solid mass between the left thyroid gland and CCA, which has elongated tubular shape and similar echogenicity to the thyroid parenchyma (A: transverse image, B: longitudinal image). There is no remarkable interface echo to the thyroid parenchyma. The lesion has multiple internal echogenic dots (A, B). Doppler ultrasonography reveals internal blood flow (C). Post-contrast coronal reconstructed CT scan shows about 7 cm, elongated tubular shaped mass, located between the left thyroid and CCA, and extends from the upper pole level of the left thyroid to the superior mediastinum (D). Several enhancing vascular structures (arrow) are noted in the mass (D).
Note.-CCA = common carotid artery, M = mass, T = thyroid
jksr-67-231-g001

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