Paratracheal air cysts communicating with the trachea: CT findings

Abstract

We reviewed the chest radiographic and thin-section computed tomography (CT) findings in three adult patients with air-filled paratracheal cysts communicating with the tracheal lumen. The air collections were located on the right side in each case. On plain radiographs, they appeared round or oval and were 1-2 cm in diameter. On CT scans, they appeared irregular with a small communication between the tracheal lumen and the cyst. Thin-section and three-dimensional reconstructed CT were useful in detecting the communication between the trachea and paratracheal cyst. In one case, the communication was recognized at surgical resection and in the other two cases, the orifice in the tracheal wall appeared as a tiny, well-circumscribed hole at fiberoptic bronchoscopy.