Pulmonary Cyst
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A focal lung pneumatosis is an enclosed pocket of air or gas in the
lung The lungs are the primary Organ (biology), organs of the respiratory system in many animals, including humans. In mammals and most other tetrapods, two lungs are located near the Vertebral column, backbone on either side of the heart. Their ...
and includes blebs, bullae, pulmonary cysts, and lung cavities. Blebs and bullae can be classified by their wall thickness. * A bleb has a wall thickness of less than 1 mm. By radiology definition, it is up to 1 cm in total size. By pathology definition, it originates in the
pleurae The pleurae (: pleura) are the two flattened closed sacs filled with pleural fluid, each ensheathing each lung and lining their surrounding tissues, locally appearing as two opposing layers of serous membrane separating the lungs from the media ...
(rather than in the lung parenchyma). *A bulla has a wall thickness of less than 1 mm. By radiology definition, it has a total size of greater than 1 cm. By pathology definition, it originates in the lung parenchyma (rather than in the pleurae). * A lung cyst has a wall thickness of up to 4 mm. A minimum wall thickness of 1 mm has been suggested, but thin-walled pockets may be included in the definition as well. * A cavity has a wall thickness of more than 4 mm. The terms above, when referring to sites other than the lungs, often imply fluid content. Lung cysts are seen in about 8% of the general population, with an increased prevalence in older people, and are not associated with
emphysema Emphysema is any air-filled enlargement in the body's tissues. Most commonly emphysema refers to the permanent enlargement of air spaces (alveoli) in the lungs, and is also known as pulmonary emphysema. Emphysema is a lower respiratory tract di ...
. They may be part of the aging changes of the lungs, and cause a slight decrease in their
diffusing capacity Diffusing capacity of the lung (DL) (also known as ''transfer factor'') measures the transfer of gas from air in the lung, to the red blood cells in lung blood vessels. It is part of a comprehensive series of pulmonary function tests to determin ...
. The presence of multiple pulmonary cysts may indicate a need to evaluate the possibility of bullous or cystic lung diseases. Cavitation indicates workup for serious infection or
lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...
.


Bleb or bulla

The most common disease causing blebs or bullae is paraseptal emphysema though
centrilobular emphysema Emphysema is any air-filled enlargement in the body's tissues. Most commonly emphysema refers to the permanent enlargement of air spaces ( alveoli) in the lungs, and is also known as pulmonary emphysema. Emphysema is a lower respiratory tract d ...
may sometimes be involved. Other conditions associated with lung bullae are: * Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency Updated: Feb 21, 2019 *
Marfan syndrome Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a multi-systemic genetic disorder that affects the connective tissue. Those with the condition tend to be tall and thin, with dolichostenomelia, long arms, legs, Arachnodactyly, fingers, and toes. They also typically ha ...
* Ehlers–Danlos syndromes * Cocaine smoking *
Sarcoidosis Sarcoidosis (; also known as Besnier–Boeck–Schaumann disease) is a disease involving abnormal collections of White blood cell, inflammatory cells that form lumps known as granulomata. The disease usually begins in the lungs, skin, or lymph n ...
*
HIV/AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
*
Intravenous Intravenous therapy (abbreviated as IV therapy) is a medical technique that administers fluids, medications and nutrients directly into a person's vein. The intravenous route of administration is commonly used for rehydration or to provide nutr ...
substance abuse Substance misuse, also known as drug misuse or, in older vernacular, substance abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods that are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder, differing definition ...


Cyst

A pulmonary cyst is not necessarily the same type of cyst seen in many cystic lung diseases. The cyst for example in pneumocystis pneumonia is not the same as the pulmonary cyst. Cystic lung diseases include: *
Langerhans cell histiocytosis Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is an abnormal clonal proliferation of Langerhans cells, abnormal cells deriving from bone marrow and capable of migrating from skin to lymph nodes. Symptoms range from isolated bone lesions to multisystem d ...
(LCH) *
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare, progressive and systemic disease that typically results in cystic lung destruction. It predominantly affects women, especially during childbearing years. The term sporadic LAM is used for patients with LA ...
(LAM) * Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP) * Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome * ''Pneumocystis'' pneumonia * Pulmonary amyloidosis * Light chain deposition disease * Lung metastases rarely cause multiple cystic lung lesions. This form of presentation has been described in metastatic
sarcoma A sarcoma is a rare type of cancer that arises from cells of mesenchymal origin. Originating from mesenchymal cells means that sarcomas are cancers of connective tissues such as bone, cartilage, muscle, fat, or vascular tissues. Sarcom ...
s.


Incidental blebs and cysts

A focal lung pneumatosis that is an incidental imaging finding such as on a
CT scan A computed tomography scan (CT scan), formerly called computed axial tomography scan (CAT scan), is a medical imaging technique used to obtain detailed internal images of the body. The personnel that perform CT scans are called radiographers or ...
, without suspicious findings (such as findings indicating any of the diseases listed above), generally does not indicate further follow-up.


Cavity

Two
infectious diseases infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable dise ...
that are commonly associated with cavities of lung tissue are ''
Mycobacterium tuberculosis ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (M. tb), also known as Koch's bacillus, is a species of pathogenic bacteria in the family Mycobacteriaceae and the causative agent of tuberculosis. First discovered in 1882 by Robert Koch, ''M. tuberculosis'' ha ...
'' and ''
Klebsiella pneumoniae ''Klebsiella pneumoniae'' is a Gram-negative, non-motile, encapsulated, lactose- fermenting, facultative anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium. It appears as a mucoid lactose fermenter on MacConkey agar. Although found in the normal flora of the mo ...
''. The formation of cavities is due to tissue
necrosis Necrosis () is a form of cell injury which results in the premature death of cells in living tissue by autolysis. The term "necrosis" came about in the mid-19th century and is commonly attributed to German pathologist Rudolf Virchow, who i ...
and creates an environment that allows the pathogen to expand in numbers and spread further. In the absence of infectious symptoms, a
lung nodule A lung nodule or pulmonary nodule is a relatively small focal density in the lung. A solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) or coin lesion, is a tumor, mass in the lung smaller than three centimeters in diameter. A pulmonary micronodule has a diameter of ...
with cavitation is a suspected
lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...
.


References

{{reflist Lung disorders