Thymic hyperplasia in patients with acromegaly: imaging-based assessment and clinical implications.
- 1Department of Internal Medicine, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye.
- 2Department of Radiology, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye.
- 3Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye.
Abstract
Objective
We aimed to compare thymus visibility and volume in patients with acromegaly to those of controls, and to evaluate the correlation between growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels, and thymus volume.Subjects and methods
This cross-sectional case-control study included 66 patients with acromegaly who underwent thoracic computed tomography scans. An age- and sex-matched control group of 65 trauma patients without comorbidities was selected. All thoracic computed tomography scans were reassessed to measure thymus volume using imaging software. Comparisons of thymus volume and assessment of correlation with GH and IGF-1 levels were performed.Results
The acromegaly group (28F/38M) and the control group (27F/38M) had similar sex and age distributions. The thymus was more frequently detectable in the acromegaly group (80.3%) compared to controls (44.6%; p = 0.001). Thymus volume was significantly higher in the acromegaly group (13.1 cm3 [9.7-18.7]) than in the control (10.3 cm3 [4.6-12.3]; p = 0.013). Serum IGF-1 levels were nearly significantly higher in acromegalic patients with a visible thymus compared to those without (visible thymus: 608.5 ng/mL [377.6-921.8]; non-visible thymus: 440.5 ng/mL [201.5-596]; p = 0.054). However, no significant differences were found in GH and IGF-1 upper limit of normal levels. No correlation was found between thymus volume and other parameters.Conclusion
Patients with acromegaly have larger and more frequently visible thymus glands than controls. When a mass is detected in the anterior mediastinum, acromegaly should be considered, especially before invasive procedures.
Related
- Comparison of demographic, clinical and follow-up data of patients with micromegaly and acromegaly: a retrospective analysis from a single tertiary center.
- Editorial: Cancer risk in patients with acromegaly – is extensive screening needed?, volume II
- Nutritional Interventions for Patients with Intermittent Claudication: Mechanisms, Clinical Implications, and the Case for Exercise-Adjunct Strategies: A Narrative Review
- Clinical Implications of the Age Threshold in the 2022 ACR/EULAR Classification Criteria for Takayasu Arteritis: A Real-World Study of Patients Aged over 61 Years
- Clinical Severity and Serotonin Toxicity in Antidepressant Self-Poisoning: Implications for Clinical Risk Assessment
BibTeX
@article{koylu2026thymic,
title = {{Thymic hyperplasia in patients with acromegaly: imaging-based assessment and clinical implications.}},
author = {Nur Yazdali Koylu and Hasbi Basaran and Busra Firlatan Yazgan and Suleyman Nahit Sendur and Selcuk Dagdelen and Macit Orhan Ariyurek and Tomris Erbas},
journal = {Archives of endocrinology and metabolism},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.20945/2359-4292-2026-0122},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42905597},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Thymic hyperplasia in patients with acromegaly: imaging-based assessment and clinical implications.
AU - Nur Yazdali Koylu
AU - Hasbi Basaran
AU - Busra Firlatan Yazgan
AU - Suleyman Nahit Sendur
AU - Selcuk Dagdelen
AU - Macit Orhan Ariyurek
AU - Tomris Erbas
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/20
JO - Archives of endocrinology and metabolism
DO - 10.20945/2359-4292-2026-0122
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42905597
AB - Objective We aimed to compare thymus visibility and volume in patients with acromegaly to those of controls, and to evaluate the correlation between growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels, and thymus volume.Subjects and methods This cross-sectional case-control study included 66 patients with acromegaly who underwent thoracic computed tomography scans. An age- and sex-matched control group of 65 trauma patients without comorbidities was selected. All thoracic computed tomography scans were reassessed to measure thymus volume using imaging software. Comparisons of thymus volume and assessment of correlation with GH and IGF-1 levels were performed.Results The acromegaly group (28F/38M) and the control group (27F/38M) had similar sex and age distributions. The thymus was more frequently detectable in the acromegaly group (80.3%) compared to controls (44.6%; p = 0.001). Thymus volume was significantly higher in the acromegaly group (13.1 cm3 [9.7-18.7]) than in the control (10.3 cm3 [4.6-12.3]; p = 0.013). Serum IGF-1 levels were nearly significantly higher in acromegalic patients with a visible thymus compared to those without (visible thymus: 608.5 ng/mL [377.6-921.8]; non-visible thymus: 440.5 ng/mL [201.5-596]; p = 0.054). However, no significant differences were found in GH and IGF-1 upper limit of normal levels. No correlation was found between thymus volume and other parameters.Conclusion Patients with acromegaly have larger and more frequently visible thymus glands than controls. When a mass is detected in the anterior mediastinum, acromegaly should be considered, especially before invasive procedures.
SN - 2359-3997
SN - 2359-4292
ER -