The differential diagnosis for a posterior mediastinal mass includes:
- neoplasm
-
neurogenic tumours: most common
- nerve sheath tumours
- parasympathetic ganglion tumours
- sympathetic chain tumours
- non-neurogenic tumours
- chordoma 2
- chondrosarcoma
- Ewing sarcoma
- oesophageal neoplasm
- lymphoma 1
- invasive thymoma
- metastasis
-
neurogenic tumours: most common
- infection
- inflammation
- vascular
- descending thoracic aortic aneurysm
- varices
- lymphangioma
- hernias
- trauma
- paraspinal haematoma
- lymphadenopathy
- extramedullary haematopoiesis
- foregut duplication cysts
- thoracic meningocele