Haemoptysis due to an atypical right bronchial artery branching from the left subclavian artery evaluated by four-dimensional CT and bronchial arteriography

Abstract

Haemoptysis can be a life-threatening condition, and bronchial artery embolisation (BAE) is the most effective treatment. A 19-year-old man who had been followed up for neutrophil migration failure and bronchiectasis since birth was admitted to our department with repeated haemoptysis. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed hyperplasia and tortuosity of the bronchial artery; however, it could not reveal the origin and running by the axial views. Three-dimensional (3D) and four-dimensional (4D) CT revealed branching of the right bronchial artery from the left subclavian artery and a bronchial artery-pulmonary artery shunt. Bronchial angiography confirmed these findings. Based on these findings, BAE was successfully performed. 3D and 4D CT can be useful for determining the cause of haemoptysis. Furthermore, evaluating the anatomy of bronchial arteries prior to BAE may be useful for performing safer procedures.