Ectopic thymus as a cause of Horner's syndrome

• Published in: Radiology case reports Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 23 - 25
• Main Authors: Berroth, Margeaux L., Morozova, Lyudmila V., Pollock, Jeffery M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 01-01-2020
• Subjects: Head and Neck
• ISSN: 1930-0433; 1930-0433
• DOI: 10.1016/j.radcr.2019.10.004

Ectopy of the thymus is a rare anomaly arising during fetal development, where the thymus does not make a complete decent into the thoracic cavity where it should involute in adolescence. The most common complications of an ectopic thymus include tracheal or esophageal compression presenting in childhood. This is a report of a single case of ectopic cervical thymus identified in a 2-month-old infant presenting with Horner's syndrome. Thymic ectopy should be on the differential when performing a radiologic evaluation of a neck mass when imaging characteristics are similar to thymic tissue.