MR imaging and histologic features of capillary telangiectasia of the basal ganglia

Capillary telangiectasias are being recognized with increasing frequency on MR imaging studies. Most are located in the brain stem and show slightly increased signal intensity on T2-weighted images, low signal intensity on T2*-weighted images (reflecting the presence of deoxyhemoglobin), and contrast enhancement. These findings are considered fairly typical for capillary telangiectasia, and pathologic correlation is not generally pursued. We present a case of a proven capillary telangiectasia in the basal ganglia. The imaging features of the lesion were identical to those described for capillary telangiectasias in the brain stem.