Computer tomography of the anterior mediastinum in patients with myasthenia gravis and suspected thymoma

Abstract

Six patients with myasthenia gravis and suspected thymoma underwent radiologic investigation using plain chest radiography, conventional anterior mediastinal tomography, and computed tomography. All underwent exploratory thoractomy within 1 month of the radiologic workup. In three of the five cases that proved to be thymoma, CT yielded significant diagnostic information that bore directly on the management and/or prognosis of the patient. We therefore believe that CT may be a valuable adjunct in the radiologic investigation of the patient with myasthenia gravis.