Cavernous hemangioma - Pathology usmle step 1
Cavernous hemangioma, also called cavernous angioma, cavernoma, or cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) (when referring to presence in the brain) is a type of blood vessel malformation or hemangioma, where a collection of dilated blood vessels form a lesion. Because of this malformation, blood flow through the cavities, or caverns, is slow. Additionally, the cells that form the vessels do not form the necessary junctions with surrounding cells. Also, the structural support from the smooth muscle is hindered, causing leakage into the surrounding tissue. It is the leakage of blood, known as a hemorrhage, from these vessels that causes a variety of symptoms known to be associated with this disease.
Symptoms
Individuals with this condition may have symptoms such as seizures due to the compression of the brain tissue or hemorrhaging of angioma scarring surrounding tissue, an intraparenchymal hemorrhage, double vision or other vision problems, language difficulties, memory loss, and incidental hydrocephalus. Minor symptoms may include headaches, weakness or numbness in the arms or legs, and ataxia. When it occurs in the liver it is usually asymptomatic but may present as pain in the upper right abdomen, a feeling of fullness after eating only a small amount of food, lack of an appetite, nausea, and vomiting. In the eye, as the lesion changes in size it will involve the extraocular muscles and optic nerve, and patients report double vision , decreased vision, and progressive proptosis.
Presentation
Cavernous hemangiomas can arise nearly anywhere in the body where there are blood vessels. They are often described as raspberry-like structures because of the bubble-like caverns. Unlike the capillary hemangiomas, cavernous ones can be disfiguring and do not tend to regress.