Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformation and Its Vascular Mimickers

Area of Science:

• Vascular Medicine
• Interventional Radiology
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are congenital vascular anomalies.
• Interventional radiologists are key in diagnosing and treating pulmonary AVMs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the clinical and radiologic features of pulmonary AVMs.
• To highlight vascular diseases that mimic pulmonary AVMs on imaging.
• To aid interventional radiologists and referring physicians in differentiating AVMs from their mimics.

Main Methods:

• Review of clinical presentations and radiologic findings (CT, pulmonary angiography) of pulmonary AVMs.
• Identification and description of vascular conditions that simulate pulmonary AVMs.
• Comparison of imaging characteristics between true pulmonary AVMs and their mimickers.

Main Results:

• Pulmonary AVMs are typically diagnosed via CT imaging.
• Endovascular embolization is a first-line treatment for pulmonary AVMs.
• Several vascular diseases can mimic pulmonary AVMs, potentially leading to misdiagnosis.

Conclusions:

• Accurate diagnosis of pulmonary AVMs relies on characteristic CT findings.
• Awareness of vascular mimics is essential to avoid diagnostic errors.
• Appropriate management, ranging from surgery to follow-up, depends on correct identification of the condition.