Normal organ of anterior superior mediastinum that appears prominent in many young children
Involved in production of T cells
Thymos is Greek for "warty excrescence"
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
Fluoroscopic Findings
Ultrasonographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Selected References
Purcell PL et al: Ectopic cervical thymus in children: clinical and radiographic features. Laryngoscope. 130(6):1577-82, 2019
Priola AM et al: Diagnostic and functional imaging of thymic and mediastinal involvement in lymphoproliferative disorders. Clin Imaging. 38(6):771-84, 2014
Sams CM et al: Imaging of the pediatric thymus & thymic disorders. In Garcia-Peña P et al: Pediatric Chest Imaging, 3rd ed. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. 327-48, 2014
Abdel Razek AA et al: Apparent diffusion coefficient values of mediastinal masses in children. Eur J Radiol. 81(6):1311-4, 2012
Gawande RS et al: Differentiation of normal thymus from anterior mediastinal lymphoma and lymphoma recurrence at pediatric PET/CT. Radiology. 262(2):613-22, 2012
Costa NS et al: Superior cervical extension of the thymus: a normal finding that should not be mistaken for a mass. Radiology. 256(1):238-42, 2010
Nasseri F et al: Clinical and radiologic review of the normal and abnormal thymus: pearls and pitfalls. Radiographics. 30(2):413-28, 2010
Takahashi K et al: Characterization of the normal and hyperplastic thymus on chemical-shift MR imaging. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 180(5):1265-9, 2003
Han BK et al: Thymic ultrasound. I. Intrathymic anatomy in infants. Pediatr Radiol. 31(7):474-9, 2001
Han BK et al: Thymic ultrasound. II. Diagnosis of aberrant cervical thymus. Pediatr Radiol. 31(7):480-7, 2001
Sklair-Levy M et al: Age-related changes in CT attenuation of the thymus in children. Pediatr Radiol. 30(8):566-9, 2000
Hasselbalch H et al: Thymus size in infants from birth until 24 months of age evaluated by ultrasound. A longitudinal prediction model for the thymic index. Acta Radiol. 40(1):41-4, 1999
Jacobs MT et al: The right place at the wrong time: historical perspective of the relation of the thymus gland and pediatric radiology. Radiology. 210(1):11-6, 1999
Related Anatomy
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Related Differential Diagnoses
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References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
TERMINOLOGY
Synonyms
Thymic sail sign
Definitions
Normal organ of anterior superior mediastinum that appears prominent in many young children
Involved in production of T cells
Thymos is Greek for "warty excrescence"
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
Fluoroscopic Findings
Ultrasonographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Selected References
Purcell PL et al: Ectopic cervical thymus in children: clinical and radiographic features. Laryngoscope. 130(6):1577-82, 2019
Priola AM et al: Diagnostic and functional imaging of thymic and mediastinal involvement in lymphoproliferative disorders. Clin Imaging. 38(6):771-84, 2014
Sams CM et al: Imaging of the pediatric thymus & thymic disorders. In Garcia-Peña P et al: Pediatric Chest Imaging, 3rd ed. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. 327-48, 2014
Abdel Razek AA et al: Apparent diffusion coefficient values of mediastinal masses in children. Eur J Radiol. 81(6):1311-4, 2012
Gawande RS et al: Differentiation of normal thymus from anterior mediastinal lymphoma and lymphoma recurrence at pediatric PET/CT. Radiology. 262(2):613-22, 2012
Costa NS et al: Superior cervical extension of the thymus: a normal finding that should not be mistaken for a mass. Radiology. 256(1):238-42, 2010
Nasseri F et al: Clinical and radiologic review of the normal and abnormal thymus: pearls and pitfalls. Radiographics. 30(2):413-28, 2010
Takahashi K et al: Characterization of the normal and hyperplastic thymus on chemical-shift MR imaging. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 180(5):1265-9, 2003
Han BK et al: Thymic ultrasound. I. Intrathymic anatomy in infants. Pediatr Radiol. 31(7):474-9, 2001
Han BK et al: Thymic ultrasound. II. Diagnosis of aberrant cervical thymus. Pediatr Radiol. 31(7):480-7, 2001
Sklair-Levy M et al: Age-related changes in CT attenuation of the thymus in children. Pediatr Radiol. 30(8):566-9, 2000
Hasselbalch H et al: Thymus size in infants from birth until 24 months of age evaluated by ultrasound. A longitudinal prediction model for the thymic index. Acta Radiol. 40(1):41-4, 1999
Jacobs MT et al: The right place at the wrong time: historical perspective of the relation of the thymus gland and pediatric radiology. Radiology. 210(1):11-6, 1999
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