Pulmonary focal fibrosis associated with microscopic arterio-venous fistula manifesting as focal ground-glass opacity on thin-section CT

BACKGROUND: Focal ground-glass opacity (GGO) on thin-section computed tomography (CT) may be seen in atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH), adenocarcinoma in situ that has recently been renamed from bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) and various benign conditions. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of pulmonary focal fibrosis associated with microscopic arterio-venous fistula (AVF), which showed a focal area of GGO on thin-section CT. The patient was a 58-year-old woman with a GGO on thin-section CT which had increased in size over the period of 2 years. Slightly dilated vessels and thickened interlobular septa were also noted around the GGO. It was diagnosed preoperatively as adenocarcinoma in situ and a partial lung resection by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) was performed. Pathological examination yielded a diagnosis of focal fibrosis associated with microscopic AVF. CONCLUSION: We speculate that the focal fibrosis was produced by a prolonged congestion due to the AVF and that the dilated vessels and thickening of interlobular septa on thin-section CT related to the AVF. Microscopic AVF may be one of the etiologies of focal fibrosis showing focal GGO on thins-section CT. Dilated vessels and thickened interlobular septa around the GGO might offer a clue to the diagnosis of this disease entity. In addition, it should be noted that focal fibrosis may increase in size.