Cavernous angiomas of the lateral ventricles

Cavernous angiomas are vascular malformations which rarely involve the cavities of the lateral ventricles. Knowledge of the specific clinical and neuroradiological features displayed by these lesions is limited by the scarcity of patients included in the reported series.

The aim of this study was to compile and analyse the epidemiological, clinical, neuroradiological and surgical characteristics of these lesions as provided by the well-described examples reported in the scientific literature. A total of 49 were gathered, including three patients operated on recently in our Department.

Cavernomas developing within the ventricular cavities attain a larger size than parenchymal counterpart lesions, causing symptoms and signs derived mainly from the mass effect. The characteristic parenchymal hypointense rim is less frequently identified on T2-weighted echo-gradient MRI sequences. Total surgical excision is the treatment of choice for these lesions, yet the surgical routes employed may still be associated with a high rate of neurological complications.