Congenital Lung Anomalies in Adults

Congenital lung anomaly (CLA) refers to a rare group of malformations that are typically identified prenatally or in early childhood. However, a significant proportion of cases evade detection until adulthood and either are incidentally discovered or manifest with symptoms of recurrent respiratory infection or pulmonary hemorrhage. While most CLAs have characteristic imaging findings at CT and MRI, they remain a diagnostic challenge due to the infrequency with which they are encountered in adults. Radiologists frequently play a pivotal role in suggesting the diagnosis and guiding appropriate management strategies, and recognition of characteristic imaging patterns is crucial for accurate diagnosis. The authors examine the imaging appearances and clinical manifestations in adult patients with CLA, with a focus on patients who have bronchopulmonary involvement and those with combined bronchopulmonary and vascular anomalies. Entities discussed include bronchogenic cyst, bronchial atresia, congenital lobar overinflation, congenital pulmonary airway malformation, proximal interruption of the pulmonary artery, bronchopulmonary sequestration, hypogenetic lung syndrome, placental transmogrification of the lung, and hybrid lesions. Common complications that may arise in these patients are discussed and illustrated.