Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations diagnosed through hemoptysis: A case report

Abstract

There have been few reports of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations complicated by hemoptysis. Herein, we present our experience and provided a review of the literature. A man in his 80s came to our hospital with a chief complaint of hemoptysis, and a simple computed tomography showed a consolidation in the right lower lobe of the lung. He was treated for bacterial pneumonia, and his symptoms and a consolidation resolved, but similar episodes continued afterwards. About 18 months after the initial disease onset, the patient had hemoptysis and came to our hospital again. He was diagnosed with pulmonary arteriovenous malformation due to the presence of a lumpy, mass-like dilatation in the peripheral arteries. With the suspicion that the hemoptysis was caused by pulmonary arteriovenous malformations, the patient underwent coil embolization, and his symptoms gradually resolved. Computed tomography also showed improvement in shadowing. The hidden arteriovenous malformation was buried by a dense pulmonary field shadow; thus, it was diagnosed after a long time. This case highlights that pulmonary arteriovenous malformations should be considered in differentiating cases presenting with hemoptysis.

Keywords

• Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations
• Hemoptysis
• Imaging findings
• Computed tomography (CT)
• Angiography