ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the CT manifestations of thymic carcinoid and assess the diagnostic value of CT for this disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>CT and clinical findings of 5 patients (4 males and 1 female, average age 41 years) with histologically confirmed thymic carcinoid were retrospectively analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The clinical findings of the 5 patients showed no specificity, and none of the patients presented with carcinoid syndrome. The tumors were relatively large (mean size on the largest planar of 11.7 cm x 7.6 cm) with heterogeneous density, and showed necrosis or cystic degeneration in the tumor. The lesions showed uneven enhancement in contrast-enhanced imaging and displayed linear enhancement of the blood vessels in the tumors in 3 cases with unclear tumor margins. The adjacent major vessels were displayed in 4 cases (the superior vena cava in 2 and brachiocephalic vein in 4 cases), and 5 showed mediastinal and/or root of the neck lymphatic metastasis. None of the cases have lung or other site metastasis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The CT findings of the thymic carcinoid have some characteristics, and can be helpful in the diagnosis.</p>