[Intracranial capillary hemangioma: a case report]

Capillary hemangiomas are the most common tumor of the neck and head in children. Intracranial capillary hemangioma without generalized neuro-cutaneous hemangiomatosis is extremely rare, with only one report in the literature. We report a case of intracranial capillary hemangioma originating from the temporal base. An 8-year-old boy presented with a severe headache and nausea. A CT scan showed a low-density area in the left temporal lobe and an iso-density mass at the temporal base. This mass was enhanced by contrast medium. The mass lesion appeared as an iso-intensity area on T1-weighted MR images and as a high-intensity area on T2-weighted MR images, and the mass was enhanced almost uniformly by gadoliniumdiethylene triaminepenta-acetic acid. Cerebral angiography showed abnormal staining fed by the anterior temporal artery. An operation was performed, and all of the tumor with the dura attached was removed. The histological diagnosis was capillary hemangioma. The tumor consisted of a proliferation of capillary vessels lined by a single layer of endothelial cells. In this paper, we review the clinical features, neuro-imaging findings and proposed etiology of capillary hemangioma.