Fatty tumors of the thorax demonstrated by CT.

The radiographic signs previously described for fatty tumors of the thorax although helpful are nonspecific. In the past, the diagnosis of benign fatty tumors of the chest in asymptomatic patients required surgical intervention. This report illustrates the gamut of fat-containing tumors of the thorax encountered over a recent 1 year period. CT proved to be helpful in the diagnosis and management on these cases. When the CT numbers of the fatty lesion was around -55 EMI units, intervention was felt to be unnecessary. However, when the CT number of the mass ranged from --10 to--20 EMI units, intervention was felt to be necessary since a malignancy could not be excluded on the basis of the CT findings alone.