J Korean Radiol Soc.  1994 Aug;31(2):279-286.

Radiologic Findings of Thoracic Inlet Lesions

• Hong YK
• Choe KO

Abstract

PURPOSE
We performed this study to evaluate the incidence of thoracic inlet pathologies. We also evaluated the extension of the thoracic inlet lesions to neck and/or mediastinum to determine anatomic connections between neck and mediastinum.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
we evaluated chest radiographs and CT scans of the 41 patients with various pathologies involving this region.
RESULTS
Thyroid lesions and malignant lymphomas were the most common pathologic lesions in this region (54%). Thoracic inlet lesions extending from mediastinum included various pathologies including thymic lesion (n=8) in the anterior mediastinum, neurogenic tumor(n=2) in the posterior mediastinum and malignant lymphoma(n=5) in the multiple compartment. Thoracic inlet lesions extending from the neck(n=9) were mostly thyroid lesions(n=8) arising in the visceral space of the neck. Thoracic inlet lesions(n=11) involving both neck and mediastinum were thyroid lesions, abscesses, thymic lesion, malignant lymphomas and cavernous hemangiomas. Thyroid lesions and cavernous hemangiomas showed remarkable enhancement on post contrast enhanced CT. Teratoma contained fat density and Two cases of abscesses contained air density.
CONCLUSION
Thyroid lesions and malignant lymphomas were the most common pathologies in the thoracic inlet. There was anatomic connection between neck and mediastinum through the thoracic inlet. CT was valuale in evaluation of the location, extension, and density of the mass for the differential diaguonis of the thoracic inlet lesions.

MeSH Terms

Abscess
Bays*
Hemangioma, Cavernous
Humans
Incidence
Lymphoma
Mediastinum
Neck
Pathology
Radiography, Thoracic
Teratoma
Thyroid Gland
Tomography, X-Ray Computed