Computer tomography in myasthenia gravis

In this report, preoperative CT diagnosis of the thymus was reevaluated in 15 operated patients with myasthenia gravis. Using GE CT/T 8800 wholebody scanner, pre- and/or post-contrast study was performed from the apex to the diaphragm level. Five cases of thymoma, 5 out of 6 cases of thymic hyperplasia and 3 cases of normal thymus were correctly diagnosed. One hyperplasia was diagnosed as normal and one normal thymus as hyperplasia. At the CT evaluation of the thymus in patients with myasthenia gravis, it is easy to detect thymoma, but it is often difficult to differentiate thymic hyperplasia and normal thymus due to the aging changes in the gland and the presence of localized hyperplasia. (author)