Digital subtraction pulmonary arteriography versus multidetector CT in the detection of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations.
OBJECTIVE
To compare digital subtraction pulmonary arteriography (PA) with 16-detector row computed tomography (CT) in the detection of suspected pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT).


METHODS
Eighteen nonconsecutive patients (median age, 47.5 years; range, 26-78 y) with a total of 42 PAVMs were included over a period of 2.75 years. At the authors' institution, all patients with HHT and their family members undergo contrast echocardiography. Positive contrast echocardiography findings prompt multidetector CT (MDCT) scanning, which, in the case of positive findings, is then followed by digital subtraction PA and embolotherapy as appropriate. Catheter-based PA was performed in the study group drawn from the group that underwent MDCT and PA. Evaluation of PAVM presence, location, and type in PA studies was conducted by three blinded interventional radiology physician reviewers and compared with the readings of MDCT studies by three blinded MDCT physician reviewers. Consensus review was performed after blinded readings were complete.


RESULTS
Whole-lung analysis (ie, correct identification of a lesion anywhere in the lung) showed MDCT readings to have a mean sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 78% and PA readings to have a mean sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 100%. Lobar analysis (ie, correct identification of a lesion in a given lobe) showed MDCT readings to have a mean sensitivity of 72% and specificity of 93% and PA readings to have a mean sensitivity of 68% and specificity of 100%.


CONCLUSIONS
According to the definitions in this study, MDCT provides greater sensitivity in the detection of PAVM than digital subtraction PA, but does so with a loss in specificity, and the differences depend on the level analyzed (ie, lung vs lobe).
Nawaz
Asad
A
Division of Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 3400 Spruce Street, 1 Silverstein, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
Litt
Harold I
HI
Stavropoulos
S William
SW
Charagundla
Sridhar R
SR
Shlansky-Goldberg
Richard D
RD
Freiman
David B
DB
Chittams
Jesse
J
Pyeritz
Reed E
RE
Trerotola
Scott O
SO
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction / Q000379:methods*; D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*