Cerebellar developmental venous anomaly with associated cavernoma causing a hemorrhage - a rare occurrence

Developmental venous anomalies (DVAs) are variations in the transmedullary veins required for drainage of the brain. Normally, when occurring in isolation, DVAs are not clinically significant and are therefore usually a benign diagnosis. Thus, they are most often an incidental finding unless associated with an adjacent pathology. However, intracranial haemorrhage induced by a DVA alone can rarely occur and has been scarcely reported. In this case report we discuss a 58-year-old woman who presented with signs and symptoms of a cerebellar syndrome. Following a non-contrast CT, a CT angiogram and MRI contrast scan of the brain, she was found to have a cerebellar DVA and an intracranial haemorrhage. Subsequent imaging 3 months later with CT and MRI redemonstrated additional evidence of a cavernoma. The patient was managed conservatively.