Pulmonary cyst
Updates to Article Attributes
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:
subpleuralsubpleural stacks of cysts, typically 3-10 mm diameter with walls 1-3 mm in thicknesspneumatocele: 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>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>-<a href="/articles/pulmonary-bleb">bleb</a>: pleural/subpleural, ≤1-2 cm diameter</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/bulla">bulla</a>: pleural/subpleural, ≥1-2 cm diameter</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/honeycombing-lungs">honeycombing</a>: subpleural stacks of cysts, typically 3-10 mm diameter with walls 1-3 mm in thickness</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/pneumatocele-1">pneumatocele</a>: usually transient cystic airspace within the lung, usually due to pneumonia or trauma</li>- +<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><p><a href="/articles/pulmonary-bleb">bleb</a>: pleural/subpleural, ≤1-2 cm diameter</p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/bulla">bulla</a>: pleural/subpleural, ≥1-2 cm diameter</p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/honeycombing-lungs">honeycombing</a>: subpleural stacks of cysts, typically 3-10 mm diameter with walls 1-3 mm in thickness</p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/pneumatocele-1">pneumatocele</a>: usually transient cystic airspace within the lung, usually due to pneumonia or trauma</p></li>
-<li>-<a href="/articles/pulmonary-cavities-1">pulmonary cavity</a>: surrounded by mass, nodule, or consolidation, creating wall thickness >2-4 mm <sup>4-6</sup>-</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/pulmonary-emphysema">emphysema</a>: lucencies without wall and with central vessel</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/cystic-bronchiectasis">cystic bronchiectasis</a>: contiguous with other airways</li>-<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>-</li>- +<li><p><a href="/articles/pulmonary-cavities-1">pulmonary cavity</a>: surrounded by mass, nodule, or consolidation, creating wall thickness >2-4 mm <sup>4-6</sup></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/pulmonary-emphysema">emphysema</a>: lucencies without wall and with central vessel</p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/cystic-bronchiectasis">cystic bronchiectasis</a>: contiguous with other airways</p></li>
- +<li><p>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></p></li>
-<li><a href="/articles/cystic-lung-disease-1">cystic lung diseases</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/bronchogenic-cyst">bronchogenic cyst</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/congenital-pulmonary-airway-malformation">congenital pulmonary airway malformation</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/cystic-pulmonary-metastases">cystic pulmonary metastases</a></li>- +<li><p><a href="/articles/cystic-lung-disease-2">cystic lung diseases</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/bronchogenic-cyst">bronchogenic cyst</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/congenital-pulmonary-airway-malformation">congenital pulmonary airway malformation</a></p></li>
- +<li><p><a href="/articles/cystic-pulmonary-metastases">cystic pulmonary metastases</a></p></li>
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