Congenital pulmonary malformations in pediatric patients: review and update on etiology, classification, and imaging findings

Abstract

Congenital pulmonary malformations represent a heterogeneous group of developmental disorders affecting the lung parenchyma, the arterial supply to the lung, and the lung's venous drainage. In both asymptomatic and symptomatic pediatric patients with congenital pulmonary malformations, the diagnosis of such malformations usually requires imaging evaluation, particularly in cases of surgical lesions for preoperative assessment. The goal of this article is to review the current imaging techniques for evaluating congenital pulmonary malformations and their characteristic imaging findings, which can allow differentiation among various congenital pulmonary malformations in pediatric patients.