CAVITY - mnemonic

By Andrew Dixon

CAVITY - a useful mnemonic for the causes of a cavitating lung mass.

C = cancer

bronchogenic carcinoma : most frequently SCC
cavitatory metastasis : again most frequently SCC

A = autoimmune granulomas

Wegener's granulomatosis
rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatoid nodules)

V = vascular

pulmonary embolus / pulmonary infarction

I = infection

pulmonary abscess
- TB, fungal, staph aureus

T = trauma

pneumatocoeles

Y = youth

Case 1 is an example of a cavitating primary lung cancer. Case 2 shows a thick walled cavity in a patient with Wegener's granulomatosis. Case 3 is an example of tuberculosis. Case 4 is of congenital pulmonary airways malformation (CPAM) in a neonate.