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