ABSTRACT
The arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) consist in a collection of abnormal vessels in which the arterial circulation flows directly into the venous circulation. The resulting hemodynamic changes, such as increased blood flow velocities and decreased hemodynamic resistance, can be detected using ultrasonography (US). US is a noninvasive and cost-effective tool to examine vascular lesions, especially in the initial stages and during follow-up. Proper Doppler equipment and patient positioning allow for the best image quality acquisition. A linear or phased array 5–7 MHz transducer is useful for the investigation of deep intramuscular or periosteal malformations. For more superficial lesions with smaller surface area, a higher-frequency microlinear array (up to 17 MHz) permits better resolution. US assessment of AVMs uses B-mode to describe the lesion morphology and color and spectral Doppler to characterize the flow and velocity. Other US implementations, such as power Doppler and B-flow, can be useful to obtain more information about the AVM lesion.
