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Chinese Journal of Antituberculosis ›› 2019, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (3): 348-352.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1000-6621.2019.03.019

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Tuberculosis of the thymus—2 cases report and review of the literature

Da-wei LIU,Jian-kun ZHU,Feng JIN,Cheng WANG,Gao-feng QIAO,Yun-zeng ZHANG,Bin ZHAO   

  1. Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shandong Provincal Chest Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Ji’nan 250013, China
  • Received:2019-01-15 Online:2019-03-10 Published:2019-03-15
  • Contact: Feng JIN

Abstract:

In the study, we reported two cases who diagnosed as thymic tuberculosis (TB), their clinical characteristics, such as symptoms, image findings, tuberculin skin test, T-SPOT.TB, treatment and outcome, were summarized and evaluated, retrospectively. Moreover, between 1958 and 2016, patients with thymic TB (n=24) reported by others (21 studies) were also analyzed. Overall, thymic TB is extremely rare. Although routine chest CT and other image findings suggest the disease, it couldn’t confirm it. Nevertheless, bacteriological and histological examinations can make a definite diagnosis, so in order to identify the cause of mediastinal mass, these assays should be considered in practice. In addition, for management of suspected thymic TB patients, diagnostic treatment should be prescribed timely, and the lesions should be treated surgically when indications arise. Meanwhile, it is recommended to follow standard anti-TB treatment for a better outcome.

Key words: Tuberculosis, Thymus gland, Thymectomy, Thymoma, Comorbidity, Consensus development conferences as topic