Inflammatory pseudotumor of the thymus: A case report and review of the literature

Zhang,Zhefeng; Jin,Feng; Sun,Liguang; Wu,Hao; Chen,Bing; Cui,Youbin

doi:10.3892/ol.2014.1895

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the thymus: A case report and review of the literature

Authors:
- Zhefeng Zhang
- Feng Jin
- Liguang Sun
- Hao Wu
- Bing Chen
- Youbin Cui
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Affiliations: Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China, Academy of Translational Medicine, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China, Department of Nephrology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130021, P.R. China
Published online on: February 20, 2014 https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2014.1895
Pages: 1414-1418

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Abstract

Inﬂammatory pseudotumors are rare benign tumors consisting of cellular and stromal elements of a localized reactive process. While inflammatory pseudotumors are commonly detected in the lung and occasionally in other organs, only one case of inflammatory pseudotumor of the thymus has been reported in the literature to date. This report presents a 54‑year‑old male patient with inflammatory pseudotumor of the thymus accompanied by pulmonary inflammation. The patient presented with chest pain and moderate fever for 12 days. Enhanced computed tomography of the thorax revealed an anterior mediastinal solid and cystic mass, which constricted the left brachiocephalic vein accompanied by bilateral lung inflammation and marginal pleural effusion. The patient underwent a median sternotomy for the surgical removal of the mass. Histologically, the resected mass was composed of necrotic and fibrous tissues and inflammatory infiltrates, and the diagnosis was confirmed as an inflammatory pseudotumor of the thymus. The patient's symptoms were resolved following surgery and the patient remained asymptomatic during the six‑month follow‑up period. In addition, we reviewed the previous literature and discussed the diagnosis and management of our patient. This report provides further insights into the pathogenesis and underlying mechanisms of inflammatory pseudotumors of the thymus to aid in the diagnosis and development of effective therapies.

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