Thoracic ganglioneuroma found incidentally on a flight physical: an atypical magnetic resonance imaging presentation

Ganglioneuromas are rare, benign neuroblastic tumors from neural crest cells, commonly found in the posterior mediastinum or retroperitoneum. They grow slowly and are often incidental findings. This report details a 28-year-old airman with a left apical pleural-based mass detected on a chest radiograph during a routine physical. A Computed Tomography (CT) revealed a posterior mediastinal mass with punctate calcifications, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed varying signal intensities but no enhancement. A CT-guided biopsy confirmed ganglioneuroma. This case emphasizes the value of routine screenings and highlights the diagnostic challenges of ganglioneuromas due to their nonspecific and variable imaging findings.