[Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of childhood mediastinal tumors]

Mediastinal tumors make up as high as 7% of the malignant neoplasms in children and are encountered in all age groups, slightly more commonly in preschool children. Three main groups of common symptoms that are typical of mediastinal tumors are identified. These include 1) symptoms associated with tumor compression of thoracic organs; 2) neurological disorders associated with compression or destruction of ganglionary nodes; 3) general symptoms. Posterior mediastinal tumors are diagnosed by X-ray in 85% of cases. X-ray computed tomography makes it possible to judge of the initial site of a neoplasm, the presence of inclusions, the status of adjacent organs and tissues, the density of a pathological focus. Gallium-67 citrate radionuclide study allows one to make an early differential diagnosis between a solid formation and lymph proliferative disease. The lack of morphological verification of a diagnosis requires the use of transthoracic aspiration biopsy whose diagnostic value enhances when it is made under guidance of ultrasound or X-ray computed tomography.