Elin Mariusdottir¹, Karl Erlingur Oddason¹, Sigfus Nikulasson², Tomas Gudbjartsson^1,3

Thymomas are usually benign tumors and are most often found in the anterior mediastinum. We report a rare case of a giant tumor in the right hemithorax that originated in the thymus. The tumor was 15x8 cm and histology revealed a type AB thymoma. The tumor was removed and the patient is doing well and is without symptoms two years after the operation.

Key words: Thymoma, abdominal pain, giant tumor, mediastinum.

Figures:

Fig 1.Achest computed tomography scan showing the giant and solid tumor in the right hemithorax (arrow).

Fig. 2. Photography of the tumor that was solid and connected to the mediastinum with a stalk, that is seen in the left lower corner.

Fig. 3. Microscopy of the tumor, type AB (H&E staining). Areas of spindle or oval shaped epithelial cells that resemble type A thymoma are mixed with round epithelial cells and lymphocyte rich areas that resemble type B.

Correspondence: Tómas Guðbjartsson, tomasgud@landspitali.is

Departments of ¹Cardiothoracic Surgery and ²Pathology, Landspitali University Hospital, ³Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland.