Chest Radiology > Pathology > Mediastinal Mass > Middle Mediastinum

Middle Mediastinal Mass

The most common cause of a middle mediastinal mass is lymphadenopathy due to metastases or primary tumor.  Other causes include hiatial hernia, aortic aneurysm, thyroid mass, duplication cyst, and bronchogenic cyst.  

 

Can you spot the abnormality? (Click each of the images for arrows)
This mass above the aortic arch can be seen to be posterior to the aorta on the lateral.  It does not silhouette out the superior margin of the aorta. A chest CT was performed to further evaluate the mass.

 

This CT scan shows that the mass is posterior to the aorta, smoothly marginated, low density, and associated with the esophagus.  It is an esophageal duplication cyst.

 

 

Above is a PA, lateral, and aortogram of a saccular aortic aneurysm, another cause of a middle mediastinal mass.