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Cervical ectopic thymus

Journal of Perinatology volume 29, pages 173–174 (2009)Cite this article

The patient had cervical dissection with resection of the mass with monitoring of the facial nerve. The histological examination of the removed mass demonstrated ectopic hyperplastic cervical thymus.

Ectopic cervical thymus is because of the failure of descent of the thymus, which arises from the third and partially from the fourth pharyngeal pouches at the level that will become the piriform sinus. The third pharyngeal pouch also gives rise to the inferior parathyroid glands.1 Beginning in the sixth week of fetal life, the thymic precursor begins its descent to the mediastinum along the thymopharyngeal duct.2 This duct is in close relationship to the carotid sheath. Failure of complete descent will result in a cervical ectopic thymus. Small residual of the thymopharyngeal duct may result in a thymopharyngeal cyst. Cervical ectopic thymus, thus, will have a close relationship to the carotid sheath, extending anterolaterally to it. Thymopharyngeal cysts also maintain close relationship with the carotid sheath.

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References

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  1. Department of Radiology, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, St Louis Children's Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine, MO, USA

    T E Herman & M J Siegel

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  1. T E Herman
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  2. M J Siegel
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Correspondence to T E Herman.

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Herman, T., Siegel, M. Cervical ectopic thymus. J Perinatol 29, 173–174 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2008.89

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2008.89

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