Thymus hyperplasia refers to an enlargement ("

hyperplasia Hyperplasia (from ancient Greek ὑπέρ ''huper'' 'over' + πλάσις ''plasis'' 'formation'), or hypergenesis, is an enlargement of an organ or tissue caused by an increase in the amount of organic tissue that results from cell proliferati ...

") of the thymus. It is not always a disease state. The size of the thymus usually peaks during adolescence and atrophies in the following decades. Before the immune function of the thymus was well understood, the enlargement was sometimes seen as a cause for alarm, and justification for surgical reduction. This approach is much less common today. It can be associated with

myasthenia gravis Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a long-term neuromuscular junction disease that leads to varying degrees of skeletal muscle weakness. The most commonly affected muscles are those of the eyes, face, and swallowing. It can result in double vision, dro ...

Magnetic resonance imaging Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio wave ...

can be used to distinguish it from thymoma.

Thymic hyperplasia

Thymic hyperplasia can be divided into three groups namely, those without any pre-existing medical condition, those recovering from a pre-existing medical condition such as pneumonia, corticosteroid therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, and burns, and those with other disorders such as hyperthyroidism, sarcoidosis, or pure red cell aplasia.

References

External links

Immune system disorders {{pathology-stub