Cystic Teratoma Differential Diagnoses

Updated: Jul 31, 2023
  • Author: Chad A Hamilton, MD; Chief Editor: Yukio Sonoda, MD  more...
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DDx

Diagnostic Considerations

Sacrococcygeal teratomas should be differentiated from neural tube defects, specifically meningoceles or meningomyeloceles. The following are also included in the differential [7, 18] :

  • Epidermoid cysts
  • Anal duct or pilonidal cysts
  • Rectal abscesses
  • Lymphangiomas
  • Imperforate anus
  • Rectal prolapse

Ovarian cystic teratomas should be differentiated from the following [41, 13] :

  • Other benign or malignant ovarian neoplasms
  • Endometriomas
  • Tuboovarian abscesses
  • Pedunculated uterine fibroids
  • Hydrosalpinx
  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Pelvic kidneys
  • Peritoneal cysts.\

Testicular teratomas should be differentiated from the following [38] :

  • Juvenile granulosa cell tumors
  • Cystic dysplasia of the rete testes
  • Testicular cystic lymphangioma
  • Simple testicular cysts

Mediastinal teratomas should be differentiated from other mediastinal masses, including the following [42] :

  • Neurogenic tumors (23% of mediastinal masses)
  • Thymomas (21%)
  • Lymphomas (13%)
  • Germ cell tumors (12%)
  • Enterogenous cysts (10%)
  • Pericardial cysts (7%)
  • Other miscellaneous lesions (13%)

Less common mediastinal masses include the following:

  • Primary carcinomas
  • Mesenchymal tumors
  • Endocrine tumors
  • Giant lymph node hyperplasia
  • Chondromas
  • Extramedullary hematopoiesis

Differential Diagnoses