Chest CT Appearances
Thymic Hyperplasia CT Findings
- Diffuse enlargement but usually maintains the typical thymus shape
- Preserved contour
- Normal blood vessels
- Mixture of lymphoid tissue and fat
- True thymic hyperplasia: increase in the size and weight of the thymus. May appear oval.
- Thymic lymphoid hyperplasia: presence of a hyperplastic lymphoid germinal center in the thymic medulla. Thymus may or may not be enlarged.
Other Information About Thymic Hyperplasia
Etiology:
- Congenital
- Acquired
Epidemiology:
- More common in Asians
- Affects any age but most common in 5th-6th decades of life
- Associated with myasthenia gravis
Presentation:
- Asymptomatic
Prognosis:
- Good
Related Pearls: Thymus