Thyroid Arteriovenous Malformation in Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia: Insights on Successful Noninvasive Imaging

Abstract

Abstract Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) causes arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in several organs. This report is the first to document and image a thyroid AVM complication in HHT. A 72-year-old woman with HHT was referred for thyroid nodule evaluation. Ultrasonography showed a hypervascularized nodule in the right thyroid lobe which was initially suspected to be malignant. However, 3-dimensional computed tomography angiography demonstrated a thyroid AVM with abnormal anastomosis of the superior thyroid artery and the inferior thyroid vein. In the formation of thyroid AVM, here, chronic thyroiditis and hypothyroidism complications may have been a second hit, due to the predisposing first-hit germline mutation. This report sheds light on overlooked thyroid lesions in HHT and advocates a noninvasive imaging approach in diagnosing thyroid AVMs. Furthermore, this case suggests a potential mechanism of AVM formation in human HHT, possibly supporting the second-hit hypothesis.