Skip to Content
800-533-8762
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Health Care Professionals
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
UPMC
  • Find a Doctor
  • Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
      Allergy & Immunology Behavioral & Mental Health Cancer Ear, Nose & Throat Endocrinology Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Imaging Neurosciences Orthopaedics
      Physical Rehabilitation Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Primary Care Senior Services Sports Medicine Telemedicine Transplant Surgery Walk-In Care Weight Management Women’s Health
      See all Services
    • Services by Region
    • Find a UPMC health care facility close to you quickly by browsing by region.
      UPMC in Western Pa. Western Pa. and New York
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Services
  • Locations
    • Locations by Type
    • Locations by Type
      UPMC hospitals
      Hospitals
      Physical Therapy
      Physical Therapy
      Urgent care
      Walk-In Care
      UPMC Outpatient Centers
      Outpatient Centers
      UPMC Imaging Services
      Imaging
      Community Health Centers
      Community Health Centers
      See All Locations
    • Locations by Region
    • Locations by Region
      UPMC in Southwest Pa. Southwest Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Northwest Pa and Ny. Northwest Pa. & Western N.Y.
      UPMC in West Central Pa. West Central Pa.
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Locations
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
      Patients and Visitors Resources Pay a Bill Classes & Events Medical Records Health Library Patient Information
      Patient Portals Privacy Information Shared Decision Making Traveling Patients Visitor Information
      Man uses mobile phone
      Pay a Bill
      Nurse reviews medical chart
      Request Medical Records
  • Patient Portals
  • Find Covid-19 updates
  • Schedule an appointment
  • Request medical records
  • Pay a bill
  • Learn about financial assistance
  • Find classes & events
  • Send a patient an eCard
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer
  • Read HealthBeat blog
  • Explore UPMC Careers
Skip to Content
UPMC
  • Patient Portals
  • For Patients & Visitors
    • Find a Doctor
    • Locations
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Services
    • More
      • Medical Records
      • Financial Assistance
      • Classes & Events
      • HealthBeat Blog
      • Health Library
  • About UPMC
    • Why UPMC
    • Facts & Stats
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Community Commitment
    • More
      • Financials
      • Support UPMC
      • UPMC Apps
      • UPMC Enterprises
      • UPMC International
  • For Health Care Professionals
    • Physician Information
    • Resources
    • Education & Training
    • Departments
    • Credentialing
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Newsroom
  • UPMC >
  • Our Services >
  • HHT Center of Excellence >
  • HHT Overview >
  • Diagnosis
HHT Center of Excellence
About Us
HHT Overview
Diagnosis
Symptoms
Treatment
For Patients
Research
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Experts
HHT Center of Excellence
About Us
HHT Overview
Diagnosis
Symptoms
Treatment
For Patients
Research
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Experts

Chat Keywords List

  • cancel or exit: Stops your conversation
  • start over: Restarts your current scenario
  • help: Shows what this bot can do
  • terms: Shows terms of use and privacy statement
  • feedback: Give us feedback
Continue
Chat with UPMC
RESTART
MENU
CLOSE

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) Diagnosis

UPMC Content 3

Our doctors at the HHT Center use the “Curaçao criteria” to diagnose HHT.

The four criteria are:

  • Recurrent nosebleeds, also known as epistaxis.
  • Telangiectasias, mainly on the hands, face, and in the mouth.
  • Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in major organs such as the liver, lung, or brain.
  • A family history of HHT.

If you meet 0-1 criteria, you are unlikely to have HHT. 

If you meet 2-3 criteria, there is a chance that you have HHT

If you meet 3-4 criteria, you are very likely to have HHT. 

Contact Us

To make an appointment or refer a patient, call the HHT Center of Excellence at 412-648-6161,
or email us at PittHHT@upmc.edu.

Please let us know if the patient is under 18 so we can schedule care at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Tests for Diagnosing HHT

At your first visit to the HHT Center, your doctor may not know if you have internal AVMs.

If your doctor suspects HHT, he or she will likely order noninvasive diagnostic tests such as:

  • MRI
  • CT scan
  • Echocardiogram

These tests will tell if you have brain or lung AVMs.

Your doctor may also suggest genetic testing to find out if you have a mutation in one of the following genes:

  • Endoglin (ENG)
  • Activin receptor type II-like kinase 1 (ACVRL1)
  • SMAD4

If you have HHT, we urge you to tell your relatives so they can decide if they want to have diagnostic tests for this disease. Your first-degree relatives (biologic parents, brothers and sisters, and children) have a 50% chance of having the disease if you have the disease, regardless of whether they are symptomatic.

We highly recommend a clinical or genetic diagnosis for all related family members. An early diagnosis, follow-up care, and long-term monitoring can help prevent the complications of HHT.

Additional Resources

Opens the Cure HHT websiteVascular Medicine Institute at the University of PittsburghUniversity of Pittsburgh Human Genetics Public Health Program
UPMC
200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-647-8762 800-533-8762

Patients And Visitors
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Pay a Bill
  • Patient & Visitor Resources
  • Disabilities Resource Center
  • Services
  • Medical Records
  • No Surprises Act
  • Price Transparency
  • Financial Assistance
  • Classes & Events
  • Health Library
Health Care Professionals
  • Physician Information
  • Resources
  • Education & Training
  • Departments
  • Credentialing
Newsroom
  • Newsroom Home
  • Inside Life Changing Medicine Blog
  • News Releases
About
  • Why UPMC
  • Facts & Stats
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Commitment
  • Financials
  • Supporting UPMC
  • HealthBeat Blog
  • UPMC Apps
  • UPMC Enterprises
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • UPMC International
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
Life changing is...
Follow UPMC
  • Contact Us
  • Website/Email Terms of Use
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Privacy Information
  • Active Privacy Alerts
  • Sitemap
© 2025 UPMC I Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit healthwise.org
Find Care
Providers
Video Visit
Portal Login