There is no sex predilection. They are usually located in the anterior mediastinum. Although patients are usually asymptomatic, teratomas may cause chest pain, dyspnea, and cough. The tumor sometimes communicates with surrounding tissues including the pleural space, the pericardial space, or the lung.
Teratomas contain ectodermal, mesodermal, and endodermal elements.
Most cystic teratomas are benign, whereas most solid tumors are malignant. CTis useful to confirm the presence of fat and calcification. MRI demonstrates a bright signal on T1 weighted images consistent with a high fat content. Communication with adjacent organs results in a complicated appearance. Computed tomography of benign mature teratomas of the mediastinum.