Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2005 Dec;48(12):1536-1540.

Two Cases of Ectopic Cervical Thymic Tumors Mimicking as Thyroid Tumors

• Koh YW
• Park JH
• Byun JY
• Kim HK

Abstract

The thymus arises from the ventral wings of the third and fourth branchial pouches in the embryo. Subsequently, the thymus passes down to the mediastinum by the sixth week of gestation. Several unusual conditions such as remnants of the thymus and incomplete descent may occur along the path of descent. Therefore, thymic diseases such as thymoma, thymic hyperplasia, and thymic cyst can be found in the neck. Thymoma is the most common anterior mediastinal mass in adult. Rarely, it is presented as an anterior neck mass, commonly located in the anterolateral aspect of the neck or adjacent to the thyroid. Cervical thymic cyst is uncommon and usually occurs in the first and second decades. Cervical thymic cyst after the third decade is so rare that it is very difficult to diagnose preoperatively. We experienced two cases of cervical thymic neoplasm in the lower anterior neck in an adult. Here, we present the cases with a review of the related literatures.

Keyword

Thymus; Thymus neoplasm; Thymic cyst

MeSH Terms

Adult
Embryonic Structures
Humans
Mediastinal Cyst
Mediastinum
Neck
Pregnancy
Thymoma
Thymus Gland
Thymus Hyperplasia
Thymus Neoplasms*
Thyroid Gland*