MR Imaging of Vascular Malformations and Tumors of Head and Neck

Soft tissue vascular anomalies show a wide heterogeneity of clinical manifestations and imaging features. MR imaging has an important role in the diagnosis and management of vascular lesions of the head and neck. MR angiography is mandatory in cases of arteriovenous and combined malformations to assess the high-flow nature/component of the lesions and plan therapy. Infantile hemangiomas can be differentiated from congenital hemangiomas by clinical course. Reactive vascular tumors have nonspecific features similar to infantile hemangiomas. Locally malignant and malignant vascular tumors have irregular borders, infiltration of different tissue planes, and lower apparent diffusion coefficient values than benign vascular tumors.