Posttreatment Monitoring of Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations: Challenges and Approaches

Abstract

Topic importance: Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) require therapeutic embolization and careful surveillance to prevent serious complications, including stroke, brain abscess, and hemoptysis. Although initial treatment guidelines are well established, posttreatment surveillance practices remain heterogeneous, with no standardized approach for monitoring treated lesions or detecting PAVM persistence. This variability in follow-up care may affect patient outcomes, particularly in high-risk populations such as those with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT).

Review findings: Post-embolization PAVM persistence occurs in up to 25% of treated cases through mechanisms that include recanalization and reperfusion.^, Current follow-up relies primarily on CT imaging, although radiation exposure remains a concern with repeated studies. Transthoracic contrast echocardiography shows promise for surveillance but requires validation against CT findings. Time-resolved magnetic resonance angiography exhibits 89% sensitivity and 95% specificity for detecting PAVM patency compared with 82% and 81% for CT images, respectively. The newly established multicenter PAVM registry may help standardize surveillance protocols and improve outcome tracking. Special consideration is needed for monitoring during high-risk periods such as pregnancy and adolescence when growth rates may accelerate.

Summary: Long-term surveillance is essential following PAVM embolization, particularly in patients with HHT. Although multiple imaging modalities are available, optimal surveillance protocols balancing detection sensitivity with radiation exposure remain undefined. Implementation of standardized follow-up guidelines through multicenter collaboration and registry data may improve risk detection and allow for more timely intervention.

Keywords: clinical guidelines; hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia; interventional radiology; management strategies; posttreatment surveillance; pulmonary arteriovenous malformations; screening protocols; vascular malformations.