Brain hemangioma is an abnormal connection between an artery and a vein in the brain. Brain hemangiomas can lead to many complications, the most dangerous of which is intracerebral hemorrhage. What are the causes and symptoms of cerebral hemangiomas? What is the treatment?
Cerebral hemangiomas , otherwisebrain arteriovenous malformations , are abnormal vessel clusters formed by connecting arteries and veins in the brain.
In the hemangioma, the blood flows under high pressure, at a high speed, which prevents oxygen from being transferred to the brain cells.
Contents:
- Brain arteriovenous malformations - causes
- Brain arteriovenous malformations - symptoms
- Brain arteriovenous malformations - diagnosis
- Brain arteriovenous malformations - treatment
Brain arteriovenous malformations - causes
Until recently, hemangiomas were considered congenital changes. It has been suspected that they form at the end of fetal development.
However, it is now believed that they can also develop after birth. There has been no apparent gender relationship to date, but there have been cases (albeit very rare) of a family history of the disease.
Diseases such as Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome, Wyburn-Mason syndrome, and Sturge-Weber syndrome promote the formation of hemangiomas in the brain.
Brain arteriovenous malformations - symptoms
Cerebral hemangiomas usually appear between the 2nd and 4th decade of life and do not show any characteristic symptoms. The first symptoms of the disease are most often:
The presence of cerebral hemangiomas is suggested by epileptic infusions, especially if they begin in the second decade of life.
- intracranial bleeding - most common in patients in the third decade of life and in women during childbirth
- epileptic seizures
- headaches - they can be both generalized and unilateral of varying intensity, often imitating migraine headaches with aura
There may also be neurological symptoms, such as trigeminal neuralgia, hearing, memory and vision disorders, but they are the least specific symptoms of cerebral hemangiomas.
Brain arteriovenous malformations - diagnosis
If hemangiomas are suspectedbrain, an arteriographic examination is performed. Arteriography is a radiological examination (X-ray using contrast) that visualizes arteries and vessels that are not visible on a regular X-ray. It allows you to accurately determine the vascular system and the speed of blood flow.
Brain arteriovenous malformations - treatment
There are three methods of treating cerebral hemangiomas - open surgery, endovascular embolization (vessel closure) and stereotaxic radiosurgery (using ionizing radiation focused only on a designated area) or a combination of selected methods.