Mediastinum - Thymic follicular hyperplasia

Home Chapter Home Jobs Conferences Fellowships Books

Mediastinum

Thymus

Thymic follicular hyperplasia

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
=========================================================================

● Defined as substantial numbers of lymphoid follicles in thymus of adults
● Thymus usually has normal size / weight

Clinical features
=========================================================================

● Present in 65% with myasthenia gravis
● Also associated with hyperthyroidism, Addison’s disease, SLE, early HIV, multilocular cysts, other immune-related diseases
● Often differerent clinical history than true thymic hyperplasia (Pathologica 2009;101:175)

Micro description
=========================================================================

● Follicles with germinal centers, medullary epithelial cells may be disordered or hypertrophied

Micro images
=========================================================================

Lymphoid follicles in the thymus in a patient with myasthenia gravis

Differential diagnosis
=========================================================================

● Normal lymphoid follicles of infants / children (few present)

End of Mediastinum > Thymus > Thymic follicular hyperplasia

This information is intended for physicians and related personnel, who understand that medical information is often imperfect, and must be interpreted in the context of a patient's clinical data using reasonable medical judgment. This website should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a licensed physician.

All information on this website is protected by copyright of PathologyOutlines.com, Inc. Information from third parties may also be protected by copyright. Please contact us at copyrightPathOut@gmail.com with any questions (click here for other contact information).