Chest Imaging

Lung cyst

a nonspecific term usually used to describe the presence in the lung of a thin-walled, well-defined and well-circumscribed lesion, greater than 1 cm in diameter. Cysts may contain either air or fluid, but this term is usually used to refer to an air-containing lesion, or air-filled cyst. Air-filled cysts are commonly seen in patients with Langerhans cell histiocytosis and lymphangiomyomatosis, but can be seen in other diseases as well (see cystic pulmonary metastasis, lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP)). Cysts in patients with pneumocystis carinii pneumonia probably represent pneumatocoeles (Fig.1) Honeycombing also results in the presence of cysts. This term is not usually used to refer to the focal lucencies associated with emphysema (bullae) or cystic bronchiectasis. Unlike cavities, cysts are not usually the result of necrosis.

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Fig.1

HRCT in a patient with AIDS and pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Ground-glass opacity can be seen, representing active infection, lung cysts, and pneumothorax which are all present.
Lung cyst, Fig.1