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Cavitation is the formation of cavities, which are spaces or openings in the body. This process occurs in mammalian embryos and can also occur later on in fully developed organisms. During mammalian embryonic development, cavitation is a necessary and beneficial process. However, the formation of cavities in fully developed organs, specifically lung tissue is usually the result of a severe medical condition or disease, such as tuberculosis.

Developmental Cavitation
Cavitation is a crucial process in the development of mammalian embryos. After fertilization, rapid cell division occurs which results in the formation of the morula, or a solid ball of cells. The morula is the precursor to the blastula and consists of a cluster of internal cells covered by a layer of external cells. The internal cells for the inner cellular mass, which forms the entire embryo. The external cells become the trophoblast, which form the extraembryonic tissues needed for development. When the morula is formed, it does not have an interior space. The process of cavitation creates an interior cavity on the inside of the morula. Cavitation occurs when trophoblast cells secrete fluid into the morula creating a fluid filled cavity called the blastocoel. The formation of the blastocoel is a critical stage in the formation of the blastocyst, which is a mammalian blastula where some differentiation has already occurred.

=Disease Induced Cavitation= When cavities form outside of development, it most commonly occurs in the lungs. This is usually the result of extensive damage done by a disease or medical condition. The disease itself does not directly cause the cavitation of the lung tissue. Instead, the disease induces necrosis the death of a group of cells or tissue, which in turn results in the formation of cavities within the infected area. Two diseases that are commonly associated with extensive necrosis and cavitation of lung tissue are Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and Klebsiella Pneumoniae. The formation of cavities because of tissue death creates an environment that allows the pathogen to expand in numbers and spread further.

Detection and Diagnosis
While cavity formation is a sign of severe tissue damage, these cavities can be used to aid in the diagnosis of the disease causing them. The most common imaging techniques used to document these cavities are chest x-ray and computed tomography (CT Scan). From these images, the wall thickness of the cavities is examined. Wall thickness helps point diagnosticians in the proper direction as to what the invading pathogen causing the cavitation might be. In addition to these scans, clinical and laboratory data is always taken and analyzed to confirm suspected diagnoses.