[Difficulties and errors in diagnosis of intrathoracic adipose tumors]

The authors treated 9 patients with intrathoracic adipose tumors of rare localization. In 4 cases the lipoma arose from the thoracic wall, in 2 directly from the mediastinum, and in another 2 from the pericardium. Lipoma of the lung and, 6 years later, liposarcoma of the diaphragm were removed in one patient. Tomography (3), bronchoscopy (2), diagnostic pneumothorax (5), thoracoscopy (3), and scanning of the thyroid gland (1) were performed to make a precise diagnosis. The nosological diagnosis was established in none of the patients, the topic diagnosis was most difficult in lipomas of organs. The diagnostic errors are analysed and the clinical pictures are described.