Vascular pseudo-tumours of the mediastinum in asymptomatic patients. A tomographic study. I. Arteries.

This is the first of two articles which discuss the radiological features of asymptomatic mediastinal pseudo-tumours of vascular origin, detected accidentally on routine chest X-rays. With a view to possible subsequent surgery, it is of vital importance not to confuse a vascular pseudo-tumour of the meadiastinum with a neoplasm. The radiological appearances of the penetrated chest X-ray, and oesophagographic and tomographic findings, are fairly characteristic. The tomographic features are given special attention. A distinction is made between vascular pseudo- tumours of arterial and of venous origin. The first article discusses pseudo-tumours of arterial origin, the majority of which are based on a tortuous descending aorta, buckling innominate artery, aneurysm of the aorta or congenital anomalies of the aortic arch and its major branches.