Venous angioma: follow-up study and therapeutic considerations

Ten patients with cerebral venous angioma (VA) were followed up for 12 to 106 months. Seven VAs were found as a result of intracerebral hemorrhage and the others were found incidentally. Among three VAs cauterized or partially excised, one disappeared but two were unchanged on follow-up angiography. Another VA, treated by irradiation following evacuation of the hematoma, gradually reduced in size on angiography. In the remaining six VAs treated conservatively, follow-up angiography demonstrated no visible change. During the follow-up period, bleeding from VA was encountered in one patient who had previously suffered from intracerebral hemorrhage. Prevention of bleeding from VA is considered important; however, complete extirpation of VA is difficult since the resectable area of normal brain parenchyma including the VA is very limited. From our experience, radiation therapy is believed to be useful when VA is considered to carry the risk of hemorrhage.