Document Type : Original Article(s)

Authors

• Tuan Tran Anh ^{1, 2}
• Huy Huynh Quang ³
• Hieu Bui Khac ⁴

¹ Radiology Center, Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi City, Vietnam

² Radiology Department, Ha Noi Medical University, Hanoi City, Vietnam

³ Radiology Department, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

⁴ Radiology Department, National Children Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam

Abstract

Background: The present study aimed to present computed tomography (CT) scan characteristics of different mediastinal masses in children to correlate CT findings of the mediastinal masses with histopathology; we also sought to differentiate between benign and malignant mediastinal mass lesions based on CT findings.
Method: This prospective cohort study analyzed 60 patients who underwent multi-slice CT scan for characterization of mediastinal mass. Subsequently, imaging findings were verified with pathological diagnosis.
Results: The median age of the patients was 5.3 years. The common symptoms among these patients were cough, dyspnea, chest pain, and fever. There were 24 benign (40%) and 36 (60%) malignant cases. According to their origins, 20 (33.3%) presented as neurogenic tumors, 16 (26.7%) as lymphomas, (15%) as germ cell tumors 9, and the remaining 15 (25%) as tumors: thymic pathologies, lymphangiomas, and bronchogenic cyst. 22 (36.7%) tumors were located in the posterior mediastinum, followed by 21 (35%) in the anterior mediastinum and 11 (18.3%) in the middle mediastinum.
Conclusion: CT scan was found to be able to distinguish specific tissue densities and their ability to display mediastinum in axial plane. Reconstruction in sagital and coronal planes makes it a useful technique for the evaluation of a mediastinal mass.

Keywords

• Mediastinal mass lesions
• Multi-slice
• Tomography
• X-ray computed
• Histopathology