Synonyms:
a.k.a. Venous malformations a.k.a. venous angioma
Diagnosis:
MRI:
- Linear structures with flow voids
- Dilated medullary veins: Around the ventricles, transcerebral course
- One large vein may drain into dural sinus or deep vein
- Enhance with contrast: caput medusae or umbrella shaped
- Features of associated cavernous malformation may be present
Catheter Angiography:
- Normal arteries in size & number
- Persistence of normally filling abnormal aberrant veins, sometimes blush occurs
- Paraventricular, but also occur subcortically
- One large vein may drain into dural sinus or deep vein
Pathology:
- Ectatic venous channels.
- No surrounding blood products.
- No gliosis
Treatment:
- No treatment is necessary, this is a normal variant
- Avoid surgery or embolization, this will lead to ischemic stroke