Pulmonary cyst
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- updated 6 Oct 2022:
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Updates to Article Attributes
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Pulmonary cysts are round, thin-walled, low attenuation spaces/lucencies in the lung. Lung cysts usually contain air but occasionally also contain fluid or solid material 5.
Epidemiology
They are generally seen in patients <40 years of age and are associated with a low BMI 9.
Pathology
In contradistinction to all other organs, the term cyst as used in the lung is a misnomer, as it usually refers to a contained focus of gas, not fluid.
Pulmonary cysts can be congenital or acquired. Multiple lung cysts in a child may be associated with an underlying process although this is rare, e.g. pleuropulmonary blastomas 1.
Differential diagnosis
There are several specific types of thin-walled cystic spaces in the lungs 6,7:
- bleb: pleural/subpleural, ≤1-2 cm diameter
- bulla: pleural/subpleural, ≥1-2 cm diameter
- honeycombing: subpleural stacks of cysts, typically 3-10 mm diameter with walls 1-3 mm in thickness
- pneumatocele: usually transient cystic airspace within the lung, usually due to pneumonia or trauma
There are several mimics of pulmonary cysts:
- pulmonary cavity: surrounded by mass, nodule, or consolidation, creating wall thickness >2-4 mm 4-6
- emphysema: lucencies without wall and with central vessel
- cystic bronchiectasis: contiguous with other airways
- occasionally lung cancer may appear as thin walled cystic lung cancer
See also
-<p><strong>Pulmonary cysts </strong>are round, thin-walled, low attenuation spaces/lucencies in the lung. Lung cysts usually contain air but occasionally also contain fluid or solid material <sup>5</sup>.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><p>In contradistinction to all other organs, the term cyst as used in the lung is a misnomer, as it usually refers to a contained focus of gas, not fluid.</p><p>Pulmonary cysts can be congenital or acquired. Multiple lung cysts in a child may be associated with an underlying process although this is rare, e.g. <a href="/articles/pleuropulmonary-blastomas">pleuropulmonary blastomas</a> <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><p>There are several specific types of thin-walled cystic spaces in the lungs <sup>6,7</sup>:</p><ul>- +<p><strong>Pulmonary cysts </strong>are round, thin-walled, low attenuation spaces/lucencies in the lung. Lung cysts usually contain air but occasionally also contain fluid or solid material <sup>5</sup>.</p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>They are generally seen in patients <40 years of age and are associated with a low BMI <sup>9</sup>.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><p>In contradistinction to all other organs, the term cyst as used in the lung is a misnomer, as it usually refers to a contained focus of gas, not fluid.</p><p>Pulmonary cysts can be congenital or acquired. Multiple lung cysts in a child may be associated with an underlying process although this is rare, e.g. <a href="/articles/pleuropulmonary-blastomas">pleuropulmonary blastomas</a> <sup>1</sup>.</p><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><p>There are several specific types of thin-walled cystic spaces in the lungs <sup>6,7</sup>:</p><ul>
-<li>occasionally <a title="Lung cancer" href="/articles/lung-cancer-3">lung cancer</a> may appear as <a title="thin walled cystic lung cancer" href="/articles/thin-walled-cystic-lung-cancer">thin walled cystic lung cancer</a>- +<li>occasionally <a href="/articles/lung-cancer-3">lung cancer</a> may appear as <a href="/articles/thin-walled-cystic-lung-cancer">thin walled cystic lung cancer</a>
References changed:
- 9. Araki T, Nishino M, Gao W, Dupuis J, Putman RK, Washko GR, Hunninghake GM, T O'Connor G, Hatabu H. Pulmonary cysts identified on chest CT: are they part of aging change or of clinical significance?. Thorax. 2015 Dec 1;70(12):1156-62. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2015-207653">Pubmed</a><span class="ref_v4"></span>
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