The common causes of an anterosuperior mediastinal mass can be remembered by using the mnemonic:
- 5 Ts
Mnemonic
- T: thymus
- T: thyroid
- T: thoracic aorta
- T: terrible lymphoma
- T: teratoma and germ cell tumors - see mediastinal germ cell tumors
Testicular cancer metastasis can represent a sixth T, and there are other rare causes that should be considered.