Diffuse Cystic Lung Disease: A Literature Review

Abstract

Diffuse cystic lung diseases (DCLD) are a heterogeneous group of pulmonary disorders that are characterized by multiple air-filled spaces or cyst within the lung parenchyma. Several other lung diseases can radiologically present the same as DCLD. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) providing an accurate description of the morphological characteristics of these cystic lesions. This knowledge of cystic CT patterns is important for narrowing the differential diagnosis although a multidisciplinary approach is necessary to make the correct diagnosis. The clinical features and radiological findings are quite similar in many patients, therefore an exploration of the appropriate diagnosis is a great clinical challenge. This literature review will focus on the major DCLD that are lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), pulmonary langerhans cell histiocytosis (PLCH), Birt-Hogg-Dub syndrome (BHD), and lymphoid interstitial pneumonia (LIP).