SONOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF MEDIASTINAL TUMORS

Although mediastinal sonography, thus far, is used rarely in the Unite d States, it might play a role in the diagnostic workup of mediastinal pathology as an adjunctive examination technique to other imaging stu dies (chest radiography, CT, and MR imaging). Mediastinal sonography i s an effective and inexpensive imaging method, with a higher sensitivi ty than conventional radiographs, for the detection of mediastinal tum ors [1-3]. The diagnostic advantage of mediastinal sonography over che st radiography results from its capability to demonstrate deep central mediastinal lymph nodes sonographically long before a displacement of pleuromediastinal lines occurs [3]. Mediastinal sonography is inferio r only marginally to CT in the detection of supraaortic, pericardial, and prevascular lesions (sensitivity, 98-100%), but certain compartmen ts (e.g., the posterior mediastinum and the paravertebral region) can be evaluated only with CT or MR imaging [3]. In addition to the assess ment of size and topographic characteristics of mediastinal masses, so nography precisely visualizes the internal structure of the tumor, whi ch may suggest a specific diagnosis when considered along with the cli nical presentation and the location of the tumor [4]. This article ill ustrates the sonographic appearance of various mediastinal tumors.