Cavernoma
Introduction
A cavernomais acluster of abnormal blood vessels,usually found in the brain and spinal cord.
They're sometimes known ascavernous angiomas, cavernous hemangiomas, or cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM).
A typicalcavernoma looks like a raspberry. It's filled with blood that flows slowly through vessels that are like "caverns". A cavernoma canvary in size from a few millimetres to several centimetres across.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 28 Nov 2016
Introduction
Find out what a cavernoma is, what symptoms it can cause, and the importance of closely monitoring symptoms, plus how it's diagnosed and the possible treatment options.
Symptoms of cavernoma
A cavernoma often doesn't cause symptoms, but when symptoms do occur they can include: bleeding (haemorrhage) fits (seizures) Headaches neurological problems, such as dizziness, slurred speech
What causes a cavernoma?
In most cases, there's no clear reason why a person develops a cavernoma. The condition can sometimes run in families less than 50% of cases are thought to be genetic. However, in most cases cavernom
Who's affected?
It'sestimated about 1 in every 600 people in the UK has a cavernoma that doesn'tcause symptoms. Every year, around1 person in every 400,000 in the UK is diagnosed with a cavernoma that has caused sym
Diagnosing cavernoma
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are mainly used to diagnose cavernomas. As symptoms aren't always evident, many people are only diagnosed with a cavernoma after having an MRI scan for another r
Monitoring your symptoms
Any symptoms you have may come and go as the cavernomableeds and then reabsorbs blood. It'simportant to closely monitor your symptoms,as anynew symptoms might be a sign of a haemorrhage. Your doctor
What are the chances of a cavernoma bleeding?
The risk of having a haemorrhage varies from person to person, depending on whether you have experienced any bleeding before. If you haven't had any bleeding before, it's estimated you have a less th
Treating cavernoma
The recommended treatment for cavernoma will vary depending on an individual's circumstancesand factors such as size, location and number. Some cavernomasymptoms, such as headaches andseizures, can b
Further information
International research programmes are trying to find out more about what causes cavernoma and how these defective blood vessels are formed. The long-term outlook for people with cavernomas is also bei
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