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The cysts resemble crushed ping-pong balls and are present in aggregates of two to eight (and not to be confused with Histoplasma or Cryptococcus, which typically do not form aggregates of spores or cells). A lung biopsy would show thickened alveolar septa with fluffy eosinophilic exudate in the alveoli.
Honeycomb cysts often predominate in the peripheral and pleural/subpleural lung regions regardless of their cause. Subpleural honeycomb cysts typically occur in several contiguous layers. This finding can allow honeycombing to be distinguished from paraseptal emphysema in which subpleural cysts usually occur in a single layer.
The most common cause of a single lung cavity is lung cancer. [4] Bacterial, mycobacterial, and fungal infections are common causes of lung cavities. [5] Globally, tuberculosis is likely the most common infectious cause of lung cavities. [6] Less commonly, parasitic infections can cause cavities. [5] Viral infections almost never cause cavities ...
A lung cyst, or pulmonary cyst, encloses a small volume of air, and has a wall thickness of up to 4 mm. [3] A minimum wall thickness of 1 mm has been suggested, [3] but thin-walled pockets may be included in the definition as well. [4] Pulmonary cysts are not associated with either smoking or emphysema. [5]
Bronchogenic cysts are usually found in the middle mediastinum. Chest x-rays show a smooth density just in front of the trachea or main stem bronchi at the carinal level. When the cyst communicates with the tracheobronchial tree, the air-fluid level may be seen within the cyst. CT scanning is useful in localizing these cysts.
Within these ascus-like cysts, eight spores form, which are released through rupture of the cyst wall. The cysts often collapse, forming crescent-shaped bodies visible in stained tissue. Whether meiosis takes place within the cysts, or what the genetic status is of the various cell types, is not known for certain. [2]
Lung cysts are seen in about 8% of the general population, with an increased prevalence in older people, and are not associated with emphysema. [5] They may be part of the aging changes of the lungs, and cause a slight decrease in their diffusing capacity . [ 5 ]
The differential diagnosis includes other types of lung disease that cause similar symptoms and show similar abnormalities on chest radiographs. Some of these diseases cause fibrosis, scarring or honeycomb change. The most common considerations include: chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis; non-specific interstitial pneumonia; sarcoidosis