Thymic Extranodal Marginal-Zone Lymphoma of Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue: Pathological Features, 18F-FDG PET/CT Findings and Prognosis in 12 Cases

PurposePrimary thymic extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is a rare type of MALT lymphoma. We aim to investigate the clinicopathologic features, 18F-FDG PET/CT findings and outcomes for patients with primary thymic MALT lymphoma; to explore the correlation between metabolic parameters and immunohistochemical phenotypes. MethodsA retrospective single-center study enrolled 12 patients with primary thymic MALT lymphoma between 2010 and 2021. Nineteen 18F-FDG PET/CT scans were performed, and clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical characteristics, PET/CT imaging features, and outcomes were analyzed. ResultsThe male-to-female ratio was 1. The median age at diagnosis was 40 (range 31-68). The long diameter of the lesions ranged from 3.5 to 15.7. Histopathological examinations revealed that the normal thymic lobular architecture was effaced by a diffuse lymphoid infiltrate, but residual Hassall corpuscles could still be identified, mostly with CD20+, PAX5+, CD3-, CD23-, CD10-, BCL-6-, cyclin D1-, EBER- and low Ki-67. The gene rearrangement indicated that the IGH gene but not TCR gene was found in 7 patients. Six initial PET/CT scans showed a mean SUVmax of 6.8 (range, 3.1-12.4), a mean MTV = 40.0 (range, 6.7-81.4), and a mean TLG = 144.3 (range, 19.7-286.4). During the follow-up period, there was no death except for the patient with DLBCL who died 59 months after diagnosis of primary thymic MALT. No significant correlation between SUVmax and Ki-67 index was observed (r = 0.355, P > 0.05). ConclusionPrimary thymic MALT lymphoma should be considered in patients with multilocular cystic lesions with different degrees of 18F-FDG uptake in the anterior mediastinum. The results of this study showed no correlation between SUVmax and Ki-67 index.