Vascular Lesions: GLUT-1 expression as a diagnostic tool to discriminate tumors from malformations

Vascular lesions constitute a widely heterogeneous group of tumors and malformations. For head and neck vascular anomalies, most studies have not attempted to make the differential diagnosis between true hemangiomas and vascular malformations, because an accurate diagnosis remains a challenge for physicians. The successful treatment of vascular anomalies depends on a profound knowledge of their biologic behavior and correct classification. Recently, specific immunohistochemical markers such as erythrocyte-type glucose transporter protein 1 have been described to differentiate hemangiomas from vascular malformations. This report describes 2 cases of intramuscular vascular anomalies involving the masseter muscle histologically diagnosed primarily as cavernous hemangiomas and presents the imaging and pathologic findings. Ample surgical excision was performed through an intraoral approach. Immunohistochemistry showed no uptake of glucose transporter protein 1. The literature was reviewed and the designation intramasseteric vascular malformation for this entity is proposed.