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Mediastinum

Cystic lesions

Lymphangioma

Reviewer: Hanni Gulwani, M.D. (see Reviewers page)
Revised: 23 February 2013, last major update December 2012
Copyright: (c) 2003-2013, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

General
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● Also called cystic hygroma
● Benign proliferation of lymphatic channels
● Common; in anterior, middle or posterior mediastinum or soft tissue of neck
● Large lesions may compress lungs, heart, nerves, but most lesions are asymptomatic and found on Xray

Epidemiology
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● Usually in children, often with cervical component, rarely in adults (Ann Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2001;7:103)

Case reports
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● 52 year old woman with mediastinal cystic lymphangioma (Jpn J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2004;52:567)

Xray description
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● Variegated appearance, appears to infiltrate mediastinal soft tissue

Gross description
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● Gray-white masses, edematous appearing, variable sized cystic cavities, serous type fluid, smooth inner lining

Micro description
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● Large, irregular vascular spaces lined by flattened, bland epithelial cells with fibroblastic or collagenous stroma
● Variable lymphocytic infiltrates; no specialized epithelium, no cholesterol granulomas

Micro images
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Lymphatic channels lined by attenuated endothelial cells

End of Mediastinum > Cystic lesions > Lymphangioma

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