Mediastinal extension of a pancreatic pseudocyst

A 50-year-old man with a history of chronic pancreatitis due to alcoholism presented with dyspnea, at which time he was diagnosed with pleural effusions, treated, and discharged. Two months later, he was readmitted with hemoptysis and abdominal pain. CT and MRI of the chest demonstrated a mediastinal cystic mass that communicated with the retroperitoneum. Ultrasound-guided aspiration of the cystic mass revealed high levels of amylase, confirming that the mass was a rare pancreatic pseudocyst extending into the mediastinum.