Mediastinal Hemangioma

Synonyms

Angiomyoma; Hemangiofibroma; Hemangiomyoma

Definition

Hemangiomas are benign neoplastic proliferations of blood vessels. These lesions are commonly found in the soft tissue yet are very rare in the mediastinum. Most of what is known about these tumors in this site has been derived from numerous single case reports or small series, the largest of which included 18 of such neoplasms (Moran and Suster 1995). Preoperatively, these tumors are often mistaken for more common mediastinal lesions, such as thymomas or neurogenic tumors, and the diagnosis is often only accomplished after surgical excision. A rare subset of mediastinal hemangiomas can be locally invasive and invade into or encroach adjacent mediastinal structures. In rare instances, mediastinal hemangiomas can be multifocal lesions with concomitant mediastinal or extrathoracic vascular tumors (Moran and Suster 1995; Davis et al. 1978).

Clinical Features

• Incidence

  Mediastinal hemangiomas are rare lesions with an incidence...