Brain capillary telangiectasias: from normal variants to disease

Coexistence of brain capillary telangiectasia and venous angioma: A case report and literature review

While Cerebral vascular malformations exhibit distinct clinical and radiographical features, rare instances of coexisting lesions occur. This case report sheds light on the rare coexistence of brain capillary telangiectasia and venous angioma in a patient presenting with a seizure attributed to frontal lobe bleeding. Though often silent, brain capillary telangiectasia can manifest with serious life-threatening intracranial bleeding. Therefore, in cases of spontaneous intracranial bleeding, an MRI of the head is crucial to rule out such cerebral vascular malformations.

Atlas of Nervous System Vascular Malformations: A Systematic Review

Vascular malformations are frequent in the head and neck region, affecting the nervous system. The wide range of therapeutic approaches demand the correct anatomical, morphological, and functional characterization of these lesions supported by imaging. Using a systematic search protocol in PubMed, Google Scholar, Ebsco, Redalyc, and SciELO, the authors extracted clinical studies, review articles, book chapters, and case reports that provided information about vascular cerebral malformations, in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 385,614 articles were grouped; using the inclusion and exclusion criteria, three of the authors independently selected 51 articles about five vascular cerebral malformations: venous malformation, brain capillary telangiectasia, brain cavernous angiomas, arteriovenous malformation, and leptomeningeal angiomatosis as part of Sturge–Weber syndrome. We described the next topics—“definition”, “etiology”, “pathophysiology”, and “treatment”—with a focus on the relationship with the imaging approach. We concluded that the correct anatomical, morphological, and functional characterization of cerebral vascular malformations by means of various imaging studies is highly relevant in determining the therapeutic approach, and that new lines of therapeutic approaches continue to depend on the imaging evaluation of these lesions.

[Capillary telangiectasia]

Brain capillary telangiectasia is usually a small collection of dilated capillary-like vessels. In most cases it is a harmless incidental finding with no clinical significance. They are most commonly located in the pons. In terms of image morphology, they show brush-like signal extinction in T2*/SWI (susceptibility-weighted imaging) sequences and contrast enhancement in T1-weighted images. Other sequences are usually unremarkable unless they involve unusually large capillary telangiectasias. Angiographically they usually remain silent. Sometimes they are associated with venous abnormalities and/or cavernomas. Their distinctive radiographic features usually allow for a reliable diagnosis. Differential diagnostic considerations, such as differentiation from a tumorous or inflammatory process, are sometimes necessary.

Foramen Caecum Vein Involved in Dural Arteriovenous Fistula Fed by Sphenopalatine Arteries: A Case Report

Anterior cranial fossa (ACF) dural arteriovenous fistulas (ACF DAVFs) are an infrequent subtype of cranial DAVFs that are usually fed by the anterior ethmoidal artery (AEA) and ophthalmic artery (OA) branches. Due to the lack of dural venous sinus in the ACF, they directly drain into cortical veins, resulting in high bleeding tendency. For this reason, ACF DAVFs have to be treated regardless of whether they are symptomatic or not. A 74-year-old man, with hypertension history, came to our attention because of ear pain, dizziness, and impaired hearing for 2 months. No other pathological conditions have been found in his medical history. The patient underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and subsequently second level diagnostic investigations with digital subtraction angiography (DSA), showing a foramen caecum (FC) patency and a persistent, enlarged, arterialized FC vein (FCV) involved in an incidental ACF DAVF (Cognard IV), fed mainly by sphenopalatine arteries (SPAs) branches bilaterally. The patient underwent open surgery performed by small high frontal craniotomy with DAVFs complete closure and without any complications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case ever described of FCV persistence with involvement in an intracranial vascular malformation. It has been managed by surgical intervention that can be considered, despite the large skin incision, a minimally invasive approach with an excellent cosmetic result and minimal risk of complications.

Central nervous system vascular malformations: A clinical review

CNS vascular malformation is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide variety of pathologies, with a wide range of therapeutic and diagnostic importance. This range spans lesions with a risk of devastating neurological compromise to lesions with a slow, static or benign course. Advances in neurovascular imaging along with increased utilization of these advances, have resulted in more frequent identification of these lesions. In this article, we provide an overview on definitions and classifications of CNS vascular malformations and outline the etiologic, diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic features for each entity. This review covers intracranial and spinal cord vascular malformations and discusses syndromes associated with CNS vascular malformations.

Systemic and CNS manifestations of inherited cerebrovascular malformations

Cerebrovascular malformations occur in both sporadic and inherited patterns. This paper reviews imaging and clinical features of cerebrovascular malformations with a genetic basis. Genetic diseases such as familial cerebral cavernous malformations and hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia often have manifestations in bone, skin, eyes, and visceral organs, which should be recognized. Genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the inherited disorders are becoming better understood, and treatments are likely to follow. An interaction between the intestinal microbiome and formation of cerebral cavernous malformations has emerged, with possible treatment implications. Two-hit mechanisms are involved in these disorders, and additional triggering mechanisms are part of the development of malformations. Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia encompasses a variety of vascular malformations, with widely varying risks, and a more recently recognized association with cortical malformations. Somatic mutations are implicated in the genesis of some sporadic malformations, which means that discoveries related to inherited disorders may aid treatment of sporadic cases. This paper summarizes the current state of knowledge of these conditions, salient features regarding mechanisms of development, and treatment prospects.