Imaging of Cystic Lung Disease

Abstract

Pulmonary cysts are thin-walled radiolucent lesions that may appear in a variety of uncommon disorders known as diffuse cystic lung diseases (DCLD) that essentially includes lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP), Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PJP), and Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome (BHDS). Moreover, they have been reported in several cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The purpose of this review is to provide a practical approach for evaluating lung cysts when encountered on CT. We describe the imaging findings of DLCD emphasising their differences in terms of shape and distribution of the cysts, as well as their association with other findings such as nodules or ground-glass opacities, which may help in making a confident diagnosis. We also discuss the link between pulmonary cysts and COVID-19.