Ectopic pleural thymoma mimicking a giant solitary fibrous tumour of the pleura

Abstract

Thymoma is the commonest tumour of the anterior mediastinum in adults. Ectopic thymoma sometimes occurs, usually affecting the neck, mediastinal compartments, the lung and, very rarely, the pleura. We describe the case of a giant right-sided pleural thymoma (14 13 8 cm), preoperatively suspected to be a solitary fibrous tumour; a complete surgical resection was achieved and a postoperative diagnosis of type AB Masaoka stage II B tumour was attained.