Cervical thymic masses are congenital lesions that result from aberrant thymic migration during embryogenesis. Most of these masses are asymptomatic. Rarely cervical thymus becomes symptomatic with encroachment on adjacent aerodigestive structures. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of neck masses, especially in children. Most cases are clinically misinterpreted as branchial cleft remnants or cystic hygromas. Definitive diagnosis could be made only on histopathologic examination of a biopsy specimen in nearly all reported cases. This paper presents the case of a young male, who presented with a soft, fluctuating mass in the left side of his neck. Surgical excision revealed an ectopic thymic cyst. Case report was presented with a short review of the relative literature data.
Keywords: Thymus gland, ectopic tissue, neck