Primary thymic cholesteroloma: a clinicopathological correlation of four cases of an unusual benign lesion

Four cases of an unusual thymic lesion characterized by the presence of extensive cholesterol cleft granulomata are presented. The patients were four men between the ages of 58 and 71 years (average 64.5 years). The anterior mediastinal masses were discovered during radiological evaluation, in one patient for cardiac disease and one for Barrett's esophagus. Another patient was symptomatic with cough and dyspnea while the fourth was asymptomatic...