Microcystic honeycombing

Microcystic honeycombing is an HRCT imaging descriptor not in common use that is given to denote extremely small cysts typically occurring in a subpleural location on a background of interstitial lung disease. Some authors suggest that the size of cysts should be <4 mm in order to be classified as microcystic honeycombing ² and it has been associated with:

• early usual interstitial pneumonitis (UIP) ⁴

• advanced/long-standing non-specific interstitial pneumonitis (NSIP) ⁴

• collagen vascular disease-related interstitial pneumonitis (CVD-IP) ⁴

• desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP) in areas of ground glass opacity ⁵

See also

• honeycombing

  • macrocystic honeycombing

  • microcystic honeycombing