Cavernous angioma is a brain disease caused by malformed blood vessels that can lead to seizures, bleeding, and vision problems. Surgery is the preferred treatment, and the condition can be congenital or caused by head or spinal injuries or radiation exposure. Mild cases may not cause symptoms, but severe cases can be life-threatening. Diagnosis is made through MRI or CT scans, and treatment decisions are based on the severity of symptoms. Surgery or stereotactic radiosurgery may be necessary to remove the abnormal blood vessels.
A cavernous angioma is a disease of the brain in which malformed blood vessels interrupt normal blood flow. The condition can range from mild to severe depending on the number of vessels affected and the severity of each defect. An untreated cavernous angioma can potentially lead to seizures, bleeding and vision problems. Surgery to remove the abnormal blood vessels and repair surrounding tissue is the preferred course of treatment, and most patients are able to experience full recoveries.
Almost all cases of this disorder are congenital. Research shows that angiomas tend to arise very early in embryonic development, but the specific causes are not well understood. Although most people diagnosed with angioma have no family history of brain disorders, in some cases the condition is thought to be heritable. Children and adults can also contract the disease after sustaining traumatic head or spinal injuries or exposure to large doses of radiation.
It is common for a person who has a mild cavernous angioma to never experience any adverse symptoms. In fact, angiomas can only be discovered incidentally during medical tests for other problems. If blood flow is significantly cut off, an individual may have frequent headaches, bouts of weakness, confusion, vision changes, and difficulty speaking. A cavernous angioma that ruptures can lead to life-threatening seizures and bleeding.
When a primary care physician suspects a cavernous angioma, they can refer the patient to a neurologist to receive an accurate diagnosis. MRI tests and computed tomography usually reveal distinct abnormalities when a angioma is present. In imaging scans, blood vessels appear much larger than usual and there is little brain tissue between them. A neurosurgeon may also note the presence of lesions on the vessels themselves, the brain matter, or the spinal cord.
Treatment decisions are made based on the size of the defect and the severity of the patient’s symptoms. People who have not experienced adverse symptoms may not need any treatment; they simply need to make regular appointments with their neurologists to make sure their condition doesn’t get worse over time. Surgery is usually considered if seizures become common or if a blood vessel appears to rupture soon.
An experienced brain surgeon can usually locate and remove damaged blood vessels in a single inpatient procedure. If a cavernous angioma is deep in the brain, however, it may not be possible to perform a standard operation. A procedure called stereotactic radiosurgery can be used to focus high doses of radiation on the affected vessels until they are harmless.
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