[MDCT features and anatomic-pathological basis of thyroid diseases involving the upper mediastinum]

To determine the multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) features as well as the anatomic-pathological basis in thyroid diseases involving the upper mediastinum, we performed a retrospective analysis of 49 patients who had thyroid diseases involving the upper mediastinum. In the study, 22 cases were nodular goiter, 13 cases were thyroid adenoma, and 14 cases were thyroid cancer. The relevance between MDCT appearances and their diffusing route of common thyroid diseases as well as the anatomic-pathological features in this region were evaluated. It was found that the lesions located in the upper anterior mediastinum, the upper posterior mediastinum, and both sides were 67.3% (33/49), 14.3% (7/49), 18.4% (9/49), respectively. Different diseases had their distinct MDCT features nodular goiter mainly showed localized and multiple nodules or tumor bulk (77.3%), thyroid adenoma mainly showed solitary tumor bulk (92.3%), and thyroid cancer mainly demonstrated solitary tumor bulk (57.1%), respectively. Among the 49 cases, 9 cases had cervical and/or mediastinal metastases in lymph nodes. The thyroid diseases involving the upper mediastinum most commonly occurred in the upper anterior mediastinum. The MDCT features and distribution of diffusing thyroid lesions in cervico-thoracic junctional region closely correlated with the anatomic-pathological characteristics in this region.