CT Findings in Pulmonary Hydatid Disease

Abstract

Purpose: the purpose of this study was to present the CT findings of complicated pulmonary hydatid cysts on the basis of the CT appearances. Material and Methods: Preoperative CT examinations of 19 cases with hydatid cysts were evaluated retrospectively for the number and various features of the cysts and secondary changes in adjacent structures. the results were compared with surgical findings. Results: While 7 patients had multiple pulmonary hydatid cysts, 12 patients had solitary cyst. the total number of the cysts was 29. Eleven of them were intact cysts. Two of the 18 complicated cysts were only ruptured, while the remaining 16 complicated cysts were ruptured and infected. the endocyst was separated from a pericyst in a local area in one ruptured cyst. Air-bubbles were seen within 14 infected cysts. Nine of the infected cysts had characteristic appearances of hydatid disease. the other 2 infected cysts showed soft tissue density. Conclusion: CT can provide the specific diagnosis of pulmonary hydatid cysts by demonstrating the number and features of the cysts, characteristic appearances of complicated cysts, and secondary changes in adjacent structures. Whether there are characteristic signs or not, the demonstration of air-bubbles within the cyst, together with ring enhancement, are strong indicators for infected hydatid cysts.