title: Cystic bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma.
abstract: Bronchioloalveolar cell carcinomas (BACs), a subset of primary lung adenocarcinomas, are uncommon. Similar to other non-small cell lung cancers, patients with BAC are usually 40-70 years of age. Distinguishing features relative to other non-small cell lung cancers include occurrence in young patients, a higher relative predominance in women, and weaker association with smoking. Histologically, they are a diverse group of malignancies that grow in a lepidic manner. Common radiologic presentations of BAC include a solitary nodule, airspace disease, and multiple nodules. Rare manifestations include cystic and cavitary disease. We report a case of a young woman with BAC that manifested as a chronic cough and bilateral air-containing opacities, initially misinterpreted as infection. Knowledge of the spectrum of radiologic manifestations of BAC and correlation with clinical history are important in suggesting the diagnosis and preventing misinterpretation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. bsabloff@di.mdacc.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Bradley S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Sabloff
authors.forename: Ignacio I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Wistuba
authors.forename: Jeremy J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Erasmus
mesh_terms: D002282:Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*