Cystic interstitial lung diseases: A pictorial review and a practical guide for the radiologist

Abstract

A cyst is a round circumscribed area of low attenuation, surrounded by epithelial or fibrous wall. Cysts can frequently occur on chest computed tomography (CT) and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT); multiple parenchymal cysts of the lungs are the most typical feature of cystic lung interstitial diseases, characterizing a wide spectrum of diseases-ranging from isolated lung disorders up to diffuse pulmonary diseases. The aim of this review is to analyze scientific literature about cystic lung interstitial diseases and to provide a practical guide for radiologists, focusing on the main morphological features of pulmonary cysts: size, shape, borders, wall, location, and distribution. These features are shown on free-hand drawings and related to HRCT images, in order to help radiologists pursue the correct differential diagnosis between similar conditions.