Cystic bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma

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.