Diagnostic imaging in spontaneous rupture of a thoracic duct cyst in the mediastinum

Abstract

Thoracic duct cysts in the mediastinum are extremely rare; they can give rise to chylothorax when they spontaneously rupture or after they are operated on. We present the case of an adult woman with a thoracic duct cyst in the mediastinum and chylothorax from its spontaneous rupture; to our knowledge, this phenomenon has not been specifically reported before. We describe the clinical and radiological findings, the therapeutic management, and the pathology findings, reviewing the literature for this entity.

Keywords: Chylothorax; Conducto torácico; Mediastinal cyst; Quilotórax; Quiste mediastínico; Radiografíade tórax; TC multidetector; Thoracic duct; Thoracic radiography; Volumetric CT.