This is a beautifully illustrated monograph based on the study of 27 patients with pulmonary arteriovenous fistula (PAF), which in most cases was merely a feature of the generalized disorder hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT).
The authors were started on their studies by two patients with PAF and HHT seen in 1952. Although the patients were not aware of a relationship, genealogic sleuthing showed that in fact their great-grandfathers were brothers. Further studies of the kindred turned up 18 cases of PAF and HHT. Nine other unrelated patients were also investigated.
The authors emphasize that the pulmonary lesions are often asymptomatic, and are often called tuberculoma. The highest frequency was in the lower parts of the lung fields, as shown also by the review of Moyer et al (Amer J Med32:417, 1962).
One is interested in questions such as the population frequency of PAF, what proportion of HHT patients have