Mediastinal lymphangioma in an infant.

Lymphangioma confined exclusively to the mediastinum occurs rarely in patients under 2 years of age. A 17-month-old girl presented with recurrent respiratory symptoms and signs. Chest radiographs taken at 9 and 17 months of age showed a large mediastinal mass, which had increased in size during the interval. Sonography revealed the mass to be cystic and multiloculated. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a heterogeneous mass lying in the anterior and superior mediastinum and enveloping the great vessels. The child underwent a left thoracotomy and the tumor was almost completely removed. The pathologic diagnosis was cavernous lymphangioma. The postoperative course was uneventful. Lymphangioma, though rare, should be considered in the differential list of mediastinal tumors and cysts in infants.