Pulmonary cavity
Dr Yuranga Weerakkody and Dr Frank Gaillard et al.
Pulmonary cavities are thick-walled cystic parenchymal masses. By definition, their walls must be greater than 2-5 mm 4-6 and they may be filled with air or fluid and may demonstrated air-fluid levels.
Pathophysiology
The cause of pulmonary cavities is broad. They may develop as a chronic complication of a pulmonary cyst, or secondary to cystic degeneration of a pulmonary mass. They may enlarge over time, or involute.
Causes
Pulmonary cavities may be the result of malignancy, infection, inflammation or be congenital:
- cavitating malignancy
- primary bronchogenic carcinoma (especially squamous cell carcinoma)
-
pulmonary metastases - cavitating pulmonary metastases
- squamous cell carcinoma
- adenocarcinoma, e.g. gastrointestinal tract, breast
- sarcoma
- infection
- non-infective granuloma
- vascular
- trauma
- congenital - not true "cavity"
A helpful mnemonic is CAVITY
See also
- pulmonary mass
- pulmonary cyst
- pulmonary cavity
- pulmonary nodule
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