Findings thorax CT
December 29, 2012 | 50,00 EUR | answered by Uni-Arzt Freddy Feuerstein
Good evening,
I have here a report of my CT scan regarding my persistent cough and I wanted to ask if cancer can be safely ruled out with this. I would appreciate if you could answer this question for me. Attached is the complete report.
The soft tissues of the neck are symmetrical and appear normal. No evidence of lymph node enlargement in the deep cervical, axillary, or mediastinal regions. Thymic hyperplasia.
The heart appears normal in size and shape, the pulmonary arteries show sufficient homogeneous contrast up to the segmental branches. Normal configuration. Normal pulmonary veins. Systemic arteries are normal. Normal pericardial space.
Normal tracheobronchial tree. Normal lung parenchyma. Pleural spaces are clear. Upper abdominal structures are normal. Normal bone structure.
Assessment:
Normal lung architecture, no evidence of interstitial or alveolar infiltrates. No evidence of bronchiectasis. Normal tracheobronchial tree. Thymic hyperplasia. No evidence of lymphoma. The heart and major blood vessels appear normal.
That is the report.
What also concerns me is the mentioned thymic hyperplasia. What exactly is that? Should I be worried about it? Could this be a cause of the cough?
Best regards
Dear questioner,
The CT scan results actually rule out a current lung cancer diagnosis.
However, we need to take a closer look at the thymic hyperplasia you mentioned.
The thymus is a gland that belongs to the lymphatic system, i.e., the body's defense system. It usually almost completely regresses in adults.
The thymus is located in the so-called mediastinum.
Medics refer to the mediastinum as the middle space of the chest cavity, a vertically running space in the middle of the chest. It lies between the two pleural cavities (where the lungs are located) and includes, among other things, the heart, the airways, and the esophagus, and in young people, also the thymus.
An enlargement of the thymus can indeed lead to a persistent cough due to its close proximity.
But what is thymic hyperplasia exactly?
Thymic hyperplasia is when this lymphatic gland is still present in adults, or is enlarged.
Thymic hyperplasia refers to lymph follicle hyperplasia (enlargement of the thymus cells).
Thymic hyperplasia often occurs in people with myasthenia gravis (an autoimmune disease causing rapid muscle fatigue). It also occurs in other autoimmune diseases (such as lupus) or liver diseases like cirrhosis.
Thymic hyperplasia is usually only operated on in the context of myasthenia gravis.
Malignant tumors called thymomas are very rare malignant tumors.
Even malignant diseases are often associated with autoimmune diseases.
You should definitely pursue the matter further and consider further imaging and examinations.
In theory, surgical removal is possible if necessary, but this is a major operation that is not undertaken lightly.
Ideally, it is a benign tumor and also the cause of your cough (which, as you surely know, can have multiple other reasons).
If you have any further questions, feel free to ask at any time.
Best regards,
Torben C. Müller
