Surgically excised solid ECT
We identified 28 cases (28 patients) of surgically excised solid ECT
(Table 3).7, 12, 15, 18, 19, 29, 34, 37, 38, 41, 43,
45, 46, 51, 53, 54, 58, 62, 68, 70, 74, 75
The majority (64%) of these lesions were found in the neck. More than
one modality of imaging was performed in 17 (60%). Pre-operative
diagnosis was reported for 18 cases and none of these included an ECT as
a possible alternative. Pre-operative diagnoses included: neuroblastoma,
lymphatic malformation, teratoma, branchial remnant, dermoid cyst,
hamartoma, haemangioma, lymphadenopathy, rabdomyosarcoma, leukemia.
Seven patients underwent a FNAC/biopsy before definitive excision:
diagnosis was ECT in 2 cases, inconclusive in 2 cases and incorrect in 3
cases (1 lypoblastoma, 1 chronic inflammatory process, 1 lymphoma). One
child required revisional surgery to completely excise the persistent
neck mass, in which an incisional biopsy had initially diagnosed as a
chronic inflammatory mass.15 Normal mediastinal thymus
was reported in 12 patients: no information was available in 16
patients.