Mediastinal mature teratoma: imaging features.

Abstract

Mediastinal mature teratoma typically manifests on CT as a heterogeneous anterior mediastinal mass containing soft-tissue, fluid, fat, or calcium attenuation, or any combination of the four. Fluid-containing cystic areas, fat, and calcification occur frequently. Cystic lesions without fat or calcium were seen in 15% of tumors. Fat-fluid levels, considered highly specific for the diagnosis of mediastinal mature teratoma, are uncommon. CT is the imaging technique of choice in the evaluation of these lesions.