Cystic and Nodular Lung Disease

Diffuse cystic and nodular lung diseases have characteristic imaging findings. The most common causes of cystic lung disease are lymphangioleiomyomatosis and Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Other less common cystic lung diseases include Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome, lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis, and light chain deposition disease. Computed tomography is used to differentiate cystic lung disease from emphysema, honeycombing, cavities, and bronchiectasis, which mimic cystic lung disease. Diffuse nodular lung disease are categorized as centrilobular, perilymphatic, and random types. In diffuse nodular lung disease, a specific diagnosis is achieved through a combination of history, physical examination, and imaging findings.