Dr. Nicholas Sutera Jr, MD is a Doctor primarily located in Sarasota, FL. He has 14 years of experience. His specialties include Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. Dr. Sutera is affiliated with Sarasota Memorial Hospital.
Thymus. The thymus is a lymphoid gland comprised of two identically sized lobes, located behind the sternum (breastbone) but in front of the heart. It derives its name from a resemblance it bears to the bud of the thyme plant (thymus in Latin). At puberty, the thymus reaches the height of its use, becoming its largest.
The thymus is divided into 2 halves, called lobes. It has an irregular shape. There are a lot of small bumps called lobules on its surface. The thymus has 3 main layers: The medulla is the inside part of the thymus. The cortex is the layer that surrounds the medulla. The capsule is the thin covering over the outside of the thymus. The thymus reaches its maximum weight of about 1 ounce during puberty. Then it decreases in size during adulthood as it's replaced by fat tissue.