[Anatomic and clinical characteristics of arteriovenous malformations of the brain]

Vascularization, drainage and clinical presentation were analyzed on the series of 25 patients with cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVM), diagnosed by pancephalic angiography. Monoarterial vascularization was most frequently seen in frontally localized anomalies, and drainage was always done by the nearest major venous vessel (dural sinus of Galen's vein). Initial symptom was intracranial bleeding in 60%, and epilepsy in 40%. Intraventricular bleeding occurred initially in all paraventricular AVMs. All focal attacks occurred in parietal AVMs, all psychomotor in temporal AVMs and 80% of generalized attacks occurred in cases of frontal anomalies. The most frequent symptom was headache (44%).