Characterization of the Normal and Hyperplastic Thymus on Chemical-Shift MR Imaging

• Published in: American journal of roentgenology (1976) Vol. 180; no. 5; pp. 1265 - 1269
• Main Authors: Takahashi, Koji, Inaoka, Tsutomu, Murakami, Noboru, Hirota, Hatsune, Iwata, Kunihiro, Nagasawa, Kenichi, Yamada, Tomonori, Mineta, Masayuki, Aburano, Tamio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Leesburg, VA Am Roentgen Ray Soc 01-05-2003; American Roentgen Ray Society
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous. Technology; Prospective Studies; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Thymus Gland - anatomy & histology; Thymus Hyperplasia - pathology; Human; Thymus gland; Healthy subject; Radiologic sign; Mediastinum disease; Hyperplasia; Patient; Experimental study; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Thymus pathology; Chemical shift; Young adult; Medical imagery; Diagnosis
• ISSN: 0361-803X; 1546-3141
• DOI: 10.2214/ajr.180.5.1801265

We designed our study to prospectively assess a potential role for chemical-shift MR imaging in identifying a thymus that has not been completely replaced by fat tissue.
The thymic tissue revealed homogeneous decrease in intensity on opposed-phase MR images relative to that seen on in-phase images in 15 healthy volunteers and two patients with hyperplastic thymus. Chemical-shift MR imaging may be useful in identifying normal thymic tissue and the hyperplastic thymus in early adulthood.