Mediastinal mass: Difference between revisions
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==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
The [[mediastinum]] is a non-delineated group of structures in the thorax (chest), surrounded by loose connective tissue. It is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity. It contains the heart, the great vessels of the heart, esophagus, trachea, thymus, and lymph nodes of the central chest. A wide variety of diseases involving these organs can present as a mediastinal mass or widening of the mediastinum on imaging studies. Mediastinal widening is diagnosed by the mediastinum measuring greater than 8 cm in width on PA chest x-ray. The mediastinal mass may present with symptoms caused by the mass pressing against other organs or even without any symptoms. Mediastinal masses can be differentiated on the basis of location in the mediastinal cavity into 3 groups: Prevascular, visceral and paravertebral. | The [[mediastinum]] is a non-delineated group of structures in the thorax (chest), surrounded by loose connective tissue. It is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity. It contains the heart, the great vessels of the heart, esophagus, trachea, thymus, and lymph nodes of the central chest. A wide variety of diseases involving these organs can present as a mediastinal mass or widening of the mediastinum on imaging studies. Mediastinal widening is diagnosed by the mediastinum measuring greater than 8 cm in width on PA chest x-ray. The mediastinal mass may present with symptoms caused by the mass pressing against other organs or even without any symptoms. Mediastinal masses can be differentiated on the basis of location in the mediastinal cavity into 3 groups: Prevascular, visceral and paravertebral. | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
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|- | |- | ||
|Prevascular | |Prevascular | ||
|Superior: Thoracic inlet | | | ||
Inferior: Diaphragm | * Superior: Thoracic inlet | ||
* Inferior: Diaphragm | |||
Anterior: Sternum | * Anterior: Sternum | ||
* Posterior: Anterior aspect of pericardium | |||
Posterior: Anterior aspect of pericardium | * Lateral: Parietal mediastinal pleura | ||
| | |||
Lateral: Parietal mediastinal pleura | * Thymus | ||
|Thymus | * Fat | ||
Fat | * Lymph nodes | ||
* Left brachiocephalic vein | |||
Lymph nodes | |||
Left brachiocephalic vein | |||
|- | |- | ||
|Visceral | |Visceral | ||
| | | | ||
* Superior: Thoracic inlet | |||
* Inferior: Diaphragm | |||
* Anterior: Posterior boundaries of prevascular compartment | |||
* Posterior: Vertical line connecting a point on each thoracic vertebral body 1 cm posterior to its origin | |||
| | |||
* | |||
|- | |- | ||
|Paravertebral | |Paravertebral | ||
| | | | ||
* Superior: Thoracic inlet | |||
* Inferior: Diaphragm | |||
* Anterior: Posterior bounderies of visceral compartment | |||
* Posterolateral: Vertical line agaiinst the posterior margin of the chest wall at the lateral margin of the transvers process of tthoracicspine | |||
* Lateral | |||
| | |||
* | |||
|} | |} | ||
Revision as of 21:35, 18 February 2019
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Mediastinal mass Microchapters |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Trusha Tank, M.D.[2], Amr Marawan, M.D. [3]
Synonyms and keywords: Mediastinal enlargement; mass in the mediastinum
Overview
The mediastinum is a non-delineated group of structures in the thorax (chest), surrounded by loose connective tissue. It is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity. It contains the heart, the great vessels of the heart, esophagus, trachea, thymus, and lymph nodes of the central chest. A wide variety of diseases involving these organs can present as a mediastinal mass or widening of the mediastinum on imaging studies. Mediastinal widening is diagnosed by the mediastinum measuring greater than 8 cm in width on PA chest x-ray. The mediastinal mass may present with symptoms caused by the mass pressing against other organs or even without any symptoms. Mediastinal masses can be differentiated on the basis of location in the mediastinal cavity into 3 groups: Prevascular, visceral and paravertebral.
| Compartments | Boundaries | Components |
|---|---|---|
| Prevascular |
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| Visceral |
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| Paravertebral |
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