Mediastinal lymphangioma in adults: CT and MR imaging features

Adult mediastinal lymphangiomas are rare lesions the diagnosis of which is difficult based on imaging studies. A retrospective study of CT, MR, and pathologic findings of mediastinal lymphangioma was performed in order to correlate pathological and imaging findings. Nine cases of adult lymphangiomas were identified in the records of our institution over a 12-year period. The CT, MR, and pathologic findings were reviewed. Lesions were classified pathologically as unilocular, cavernous, and intermediate types. Pathologic examination identified six cases of unilocular lesion, two cases of cavernous type, and one intermediate type. The CT features (n = 9) included a smoothly marginated non-enhancing mass of water attenuation (n = 7), a non-enhancing mass of soft tissue attenuation (n = 1), and an enhancing multiseptated mass (n = 1). Lesions were located in the anterior mediastinum (n = 2), right paratracheal (n = 4), subcarinal (n = 1), aortopulmonic window (n = 1) areas, and below the left hilum extending into the posterior mediastinum (n = 1). The MR features (n = 3) were characterized by an enhancing multicystic and multiseptated appearance, evocative of a cavernous type in two cases. The CT appearance of mediastinal thoracic lymphangioma is variable depending on the pathologic type. The most common unilocular type is a non-enhancing thin-walled mass on CT. A less frequent cavernous type can be suggested based on a multiseptated and loculated mass on CT and/or MR examination. Received: 21 June 1999; Revised: 30 September 1999; Accepted: 23 February 2000