http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 1982903032
Surgical extirpation of a venous angioma of the medulla oblongata simulating multiple sclerosis
Menachem Sadeh, M.D., ∗, Itzchak Shacked, M.D.†, Z.Harry Rappaport, M.D.†, Rina Tadmor, M.D.‡
a Department of Neurology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, and The Sackler Medical School, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
b Department of Neurosurgery, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, and The Sackler Medical School, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
c Department of Radiology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, and The Sackler Medical School, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
A case of a venous angioma of the medulla oblongata is presented. The case is unusual in that it had a fluctuating course for over 12 years that mimicked multiple sclerosis. The natural history of this entity is reviewed and early surgical therapy is advocated.
venous angioma; brain stem; multiple sclerosis; vascular malformation; medulla oblongata
http://www.nervous-system-diseases.com/ ... gioma.html
A venous angioma is a small abnormal tangle of veins that can occur in the brain. Although not technically normal, some people consider a venous angioma, or venous malformation, a normal variant because it occurs fairly frequently (probably in at least a few percent of all people) and because it is rarely associated with any symptoms, hemorrhage or other problems.
Venous malformations should not be confused with other cerebrovascular malformations such as a cavernous malformation or arteriovenous malformation. These more rare malformations of the blood vessels in the brain are much more likely to bleed and cause significant symptoms.
Occasionally, an angioma can be associated with another malformation, most commonly a cavernous malformation. In these cases the angioma is just incidental and the real pathology of concern is the cavernous malformation, not the angioma.