Radiology Case Reports (Jan 2020)

Ectopic thymus as a cause of Horner's syndrome

  • Margeaux L. Berroth, AB,
  • Lyudmila V. Morozova, MD,
  • Jeffery M. Pollock, MD

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 1
pp. 23 – 25

Abstract

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Ectopy of the thymus is a rare anomaly arising during fetal development, where the thymus does not make a complete decent into the thoracic cavity where it should involute in adolescence. The most common complications of an ectopic thymus include tracheal or esophageal compression presenting in childhood. This is a report of a single case of ectopic cervical thymus identified in a 2-month-old infant presenting with Horner's syndrome. Thymic ectopy should be on the differential when performing a radiologic evaluation of a neck mass when imaging characteristics are similar to thymic tissue. Keywords: Horner's syndrome, Ectopic, Thymus, Pediatrics