From the archives of the AFIP - Thoracic carcinoids: Radiologic-pathologiccorrelation

Carcinoids are neuroendocrine neoplasms. Bronchial carcinoids are unusual, malignant primary neoplasms that characteristically involve the central air ways and typically exhibit well-defined margins and bronchial-related growt h. Bronchial carcinoids include low-grade typical carcinoids and the more a ggressive atypical carcinoids. These tumors usually affect patients in the 3rd through 7th decades of life who are often symptomatic with cough, hemop tysis, Or obstructive pneumonia. Branchial carcinoids radiologically manife st as hilar or perihilar masses, with or without associated atelectasis, pn eumonia, bronchiectasis, or mucoid impaction. At computed tomography, an an atomic relationship of these tumors to a bronchus is usually seen, and they may show contrast material enhancement or calcification. In rare cases, ca rcinoids occur in the thymus; when they do, they are aggressive tumors that affect adults who usually present with chest pain, cough, and dyspnea, Thy mic carcinoids manifest radiologically as anterior mediastinal masses and m ay mimic thymomas, Thoracic carcinoids are treated by surgical excision. Th e prognosis for patients with typical bronchial carcinoids is excellent; pa tients with atypical bronchial or thymic carcinoids have a worse prognosis.