title: Cavitary pulmonary disease.
abstract: A pulmonary cavity is a gas-filled area of the lung in the center of a nodule or area of consolidation and may be clinically observed by use of plain chest radiography or computed tomography. Cavities are present in a wide variety of infectious and noninfectious processes. This review discusses the differential diagnosis of pathological processes associated with lung cavities, focusing on infections associated with lung cavities. The goal is to provide the clinician and clinical microbiologist with an overview of the diseases most commonly associated with lung cavities, with attention to the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of the host.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: L Beth
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Gadkowski
authors.forename: Jason E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Stout
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed