Bronchogenic cyst

What it means

A rare congenital cystic lesion of the lungs in the mediastinum.

Bronchogenic cysts (BCs) are congenital lesions thought to result from abnormal budding of the embryonic foregut. The most frequent symptoms are pain, cough, fever, respiratory distress, or dyspnea. Intrapulmonary bronchogenic cysts are usually sharply defined, solitary, non-calcified, round, or oval opacities confined to a single lobe. These can present as a homogeneous water density, an air- filled cyst, or with an air-fluid level. The cyst can rupture into the trachea, pericardial cavity, or pleural cavity. Infection of the cyst may lead to surrounding acinar shadow. An air-filled cyst or one with an air-fluid level may be present if a complicating tracheo-bronchial connection develops.

Rare diseases that can present with this4

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category