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Updated: Aug 3, 2026
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Longitudinal In Vivo Imaging of the Cerebrovasculature: Relevance to CNS Diseases
Published on: December 6, 2016
Diffuse capillary telangiectasia of the brain manifested as a slowly progressive course
Sung-Chun Tang1, Jiann-Shing Jeng, Hon-Man Liu
1Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Cerebrovascular Diseases (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 25, 2002
Summary
Diffuse Brain Capillary Telangiectasia (BCT) is a rare condition causing progressive neurological decline. This case highlights diffuse BCT leading to brain atrophy and global cerebral ischemia.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroradiology
- Vascular Neurology
Background:
- Brain Capillary Telangiectasia (BCT) are typically small, benign, and incidentally discovered.
- Diffuse BCT, however, is exceptionally rare in clinical reports.
Observation:
- A 39-year-old woman presented with a decade of progressive spastic paraparesis and blurred vision, following her first generalized seizure.
- Imaging revealed diffuse brain atrophy, calcifications, faint enhancing lesions, and dilated capillaries.
- Cerebral blood flow studies indicated global hypoperfusion with preserved cerebral reserve capacity.
Findings:
- Clinical diagnosis of diffuse Brain Capillary Telangiectasia was established.
- This represents the first reported case of diffuse BCT presenting with slowly progressive neurological symptoms.
Implications:
- Diffuse BCT can lead to global cerebral ischemia, resulting in brain atrophy and a degenerative neurological course.
- This case expands the clinical spectrum of BCT and emphasizes the importance of considering rare vascular malformations in progressive neurological disorders.
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