Zhang YH, Liu YM, Shen KL, Wu JJ, Tang FS. Avoiding misdiagnosis of multilocular thymic cysts as malignant tumors on computer tomography. World J Clin Cases 2024; 12(19): 3671-3675 [PMID: 38994317 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v12.i19.3671]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Fu-Shan Tang, PhD, Professor, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Guizhou Province and School of Pharmacy, Zunyi Medical University, No. 6 Xuefu West Road, Xinpu New District, Zunyi 563006, Guizhou Province, China. fstang@vip.163.com
Research Domain of This Article
Imaging Science & Photographic Technology
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Yu-Hong Zhang, Yan-Miao Liu, Kai-Li Shen, Jing-Jing Wu, Fu-Shan Tang, Key Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy in Zunyi City, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563006, Guizhou Province, China
Yu-Hong Zhang, Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Central Hospital in Jinchang City, Jinchang 737102, Gansu Province, China
Yan-Miao Liu, The First Clinical Institute, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563006, Guizhou Province, China
Kai-Li Shen, Jing-Jing Wu, Fu-Shan Tang, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Guizhou Province and School of Pharmacy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563006, Guizhou Province, China
Co-first authors: Yu-Hong Zhang and Yan-Miao Liu.
Author contributions: Zhang YH and Liu YM contributed equally to this work. Zhang YH and Liu YM contributed to the manuscript outline and composed the paper; Shen KL and Wu JJ were responsible for sourcing and organizing relevant literature, as well as revising the manuscript; Zhang YH and Tang FS originated the concept for this manuscript; Tang FS provided supervision, reviewed the paper, and finalized the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Supported byProject of Special Funds for Science and Technology Cooperation in Guizhou Provinces and Zunyi City, No. Shengshikehe (2015) 53.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors have no conflicts of interest to reports.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Fu-Shan Tang, PhD, Professor, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Guizhou Province and School of Pharmacy, Zunyi Medical University, No. 6 Xuefu West Road, Xinpu New District, Zunyi 563006, Guizhou Province, China. fstang@vip.163.com
Received: March 17, 2024 Revised: April 26, 2024 Accepted: May 14, 2024 Published online: July 6, 2024 Processing time: 103 Days and 19.2 Hours
Abstract
This editorial provides insights from a case report by Sun et al published in the World Journal of Clinical Cases. The case report focuses on a case where a multilocular thymic cyst (MTC) was misdiagnosed as a thymic tumor, resulting in an unnecessary surgical procedure. Both MTCs and thymic tumors are rare conditions that heavily rely on radiological imaging for accurate diagnosis. However, the similarity in their imaging presentations can lead to misinterpretation, resulting in unnecessary surgical procedures. Due to the ongoing lack of comprehensive knowledge about MTCs and thymic tumors, we offer a summary of diagnostic techniques documented in recent literature and examine potential causes of misdiagnosis. When computer tomography (CT) values surpass 20 Hounsfield units and display comparable morphology, there is a risk of misdiagnosing MTCs as thymic tumors. Employing various differential diagnostic methods like biopsy, molecular biology, multi-slice CT, CT functional imaging, positron emission tomography/CT molecular functional imaging, magnetic resonance imaging and radiomics, proves advantageous in reducing clinical misdiagnosis. A deeper understanding of these conditions requires increased attention and exploration by healthcare providers. Moreover, the continued advancement and utilization of various diagnostic methods are expected to enhance precise diagnoses, provide appropriate treatment options, and improve the quality of life for patients with thymic tumors and MTCs in the future.
Core Tip: This editorial provides insights into a recently published clinical case report detailing the experience of a 39-year-old male patient afflicted with a multilocular thymic cyst concurrent with an anterior mediastinal infection. Regrettably, the condition was initially misdiagnosed as a malignant thymic tumor and subsequently managed surgically. Our analysis delves into the factors contributing to this misdiagnosis and outlines enhanced methods for differential diagnosis. It is our hope that this discussion will prompt medical professionals to prioritize imaging-based differential diagnosis and adopt a more comprehensive clinical perspective, thereby reducing the occurrence of clinical misdiagnosis.
