UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: What's the diagnosis? Case submitted by Dr. Jennifer Guyther

Posted: 6/23/2013 by Haney Mallemat, MD (Emailed: 6/24/2013) (Updated: 6/24/2013)
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Question

Name three differential diagnoses based on the CXR below.

Answer

The diagnosis in this case is Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but read below for more differentials.

Mediastinal Masses

The mediastinum is subdivided into the regions shown below. Here are some differential diagnoses based on region.

Anterior / Superior Mediastinum

Superior vena cava syndrome
Ascending Aortic aneurysm
Lymphoma
Thyroid tumor
Parathyroid tumor
Thymic masses / tumors
Germ-Cell tumor
Metastatic disease

Middle Mediastinum

Lymphadenopathy
Metastatic Disease
Lymphoma
Developmental cysts
Pericardial effusion
Foregut duplication
Bronchogenic cyst
Vascular enlargement
Aortic aneurysm

Posterior Mediastinum

Neurogenic tumors
- Peripheral nerves
- Sympathetic ganglia
- Paraganglionic tissue
Esophageal tumors
Carcinoma
Diverticula
Diaphragmatic (Bochdalek's) hernia

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References

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