Bronchial cyst of the posterior mediastinum misdiagnosed as ganglioneuroma: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Objective: to investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of bronchial cyst of the posterior mediastinum misdiagnosed as a ganglioneuroma, and to improve the level of their diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and treatment. Methods: the clinical data and pathological findings of a young woman misdiagnosed with a ganglioneuroma was collected and analyzed, and the relevant literature were reviewed. Results: the patient had no specific clinical symptoms. The right posterior mediastinum was accidentally found due to a physical examination for COVID-19. The enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) showed a ganglioneuroma. After a thoracoscopic resection of the lesion, a pathological diagnosis revealed a posterior mediastinal bronchial cyst. Conclusion: bronchial cyst of the mediastinum is rare and their clinical symptoms are atypical and can be easily diagnosed as a ganglioneuroma. It can be preliminarily judged by laboratory and imaging examination and confirmed by pathological examination. The main treatment is surgical resection.

Keywords

ganglioneuroma / mediastinal bronchial cyst / misdiagnosis / thoracoscopy