Acquired aorta-pulmonary artery fistula: Diagnosis by multiple imaging modalities

Acquired communication between the aorta and the pulmonary artery Is a rare phenomenon. We describe two patients with a thoracic aortic aneurysm in wh om the diagnosis of a communication with the pulmonary artery was first mad e on transthoracic echocardiography and then more completely elucidated by means of multiple imaging modalities: transesophageal echocardiography, epi aortic ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Rep resentative images from these complementary studies are presented. A succes sful repair of the fistula was subsequently accomplished in both patients.