A 45-year-old man presents with incidental finding of an anterior mediastinal mass on chest X-ray. CT chest confirms a well-defined, homogeneous anterior mediastinal mass. Which of the following is NOT a typical anterior mediastinal mass?
- A Thymoma
- B Retrosternal thyroid goiter
- C Neurogenic tumor ✓
- D Mature cystic teratoma (dermoid)
Correct answer: C. Neurogenic tumor
Explanation
Anterior mediastinal masses are classically remembered by the '4 Ts': Thymoma, Thyroid (retrosternal goiter), Teratoma/dermoid, and Lymphoma (or Lymphatic malformation as the fourth T variant). Neurogenic tumors arise from the paravertebral sympathetic chain and are located in the POSTERIOR mediastinum, making it the outlier here. This is a frequently tested anatomy fact.
Reference: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.