A Pediatric Radiology textbook and Pediatric Radiology digital library
Thymus Rebound
Etiology: thymus shrinks due to stress + infection, returns to normal size when well
Imaging: thymus disappears, then reappears but stops growing when it reaches its normal size
DDX: recurrent tumor in a patient with an anterior mediastinal tumor
Cases of Thymus Rebound
CXR AP from one month ago (left) shows evidence of a right lower lobe infiltrate and right pleural effusion due to bacterial pneumonia. The superior mediastinum is narrow. CXR AP taken today (right) shows resolution of the pneumonia and interval reappearance of the thymus.