Department of Radiology, University of Washington Medical Center, 1959 Pacific Ave NE, Box 357115, Seattle, WA 98195.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to review and illustrate the pathogenesis, natural history, imaging features, and treatment of granulomatous fibrosing mediastinitis. CONCLUSION: Granulomatous fibrosing mediastinitis is an infiltrative disorder characterized by encasement of the mediastinal viscera; in most cases in the United States, it represents an idiosyncratic immune response to histoplasma. Familiarity with the various imaging features of fibrosing mediastinitis is important for prompt and accurate diagnosis as well as for planning and guiding surgical and less-invasive treatments.