[Pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas in Osler's disease]

In a retrospective study over a period of 10 years we found 16 patients with Osler's disease and associated pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas in the hospital of the University of Heidelberg and the Thoraxklinik Heidelberg-Rohrbach. We report about the radiologic diagnostic findings and the clinical manifestations of this defined pulmonary malformation. Radiologic findings are round or oval lobulated homogeneous masses. The size ranges from < 1 to several centimeters in diameter, most fistulas were located in the lower lobes. Feeding and draining vessels can be identified frequently on plain radiographs or tomograms/CT. Best procedure to recognize these malformations is the selective pulmonary arterial angiography.