[Riedel's struma and fibrous mediastinitis. Positive therapeutic responsiveness to corticoids]

In a 45-year-old man with chronic hepatitis B a fibrous mediastinitis developed originating from a Riedel's thyroiditis. Because of associated pleural effusion compression of a pulmonary vessel could not be excluded. Administration of corticoids, undertaken in the absence of general guidelines to treat the mediastinitis, achieved regression of the pleural effusion and the mediastinal changes, as well as shrinkage of the cervical fibrosis.