A particularly helpful mnemonic for causes of pulmonary cavities is:
- CAVITY
Mnemonic
-
C: cancer
- lung cancer: most frequently squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)
- cavitary pulmonary metastasis(es): most frequently SCC
-
A: autoimmune; granulomas from
- granulomatosis with polyangiitis
- rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatoid nodules)
- V: vascular (both bland and septic pulmonary emboli)
- I: infection (bacterial/fungal)
- T: trauma - pneumatoceles
- Y: youth
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