Cerebral vascular malformations in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: Clinical article

M. Neil Woodall, Melissa McGettigan, Ramon Figueroa, James R Gossage, Cargill H. Alleyne

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

38 Scopus citations

Abstract

Object. Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a hereditary disorder characterized by mucocutaneous telangiectasias, frequent nosebleeds, and visceral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Few reports have outlined the prevalence of the various cerebral vascular malformations found in patients with HHT. The authors set out to define the prevalence of cerebral vascular malformations in a population of HHT patients who underwent imaging with 3-T imaging (MRI/MR angiography [MRA]) of the brain. Methods. A retrospective review of prospectively collected data was carried out using a database of 372 HHT patients who were seen and examined at the Georgia Regents University HHT Center and screened with 3-T MRI/MRA. Data were tabulated for numbers and types of vascular malformations in this population. Results. Arteriovenous malformations were identified in 7.7%, developmental venous anomalies in 4.3%, and cerebral aneurysms in 2.4% of HHT patients. The HHT AVMs tended to be supratentorial, small, and cortical in this series, findings consistent with other recent studies in the literature. An arteriovenous fistula, cavernous malformation, and capillary telangiectasia were identified in 0.5%, 1%, and 1.9% of HHT patients, respectively. Conclusions. Few studies have investigated the prevalence of the various vascular malformations found in HHT patients screened with 3-T MRI/MRA of the brain. Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia AVMs are more likely to be multiple and have a tendency toward small size and cortical location. As such, they are often treated using a single-modality therapy.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)87-92
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of neurosurgery
Volume120
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2014

Keywords

  • Brain arteriovenous malformation
  • Cerebral vascular malformation
  • Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia
  • Osler-Weber-Rendu
  • Vascular disorders

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Surgery
  • Clinical Neurology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Cerebral vascular malformations in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: Clinical article'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this