Cerebral developmental venous anomalies associated with head and neck venous malformations.
OBJECTIVE
To study cerebral developmental venous anomalies in patients with extensive venous malformations of the head and neck.


METHODS
All patients had undergone carotid angiography 10 to 15 years previously. Four-vessel cerebral angiography was carried out in 40 patients with venous malformations. All patients had a physical examination, 16 had CT, and 22 were examined with MR imaging. One patient had MR angiography.


RESULTS
Eighteen developmental venous anomalies were noted in 8 (20%) of 40 patients. Four patients had multiple anomalies, and these were bilateral in 1 patient. Developmental venous anomalies seen in association with cervicofacial, cutaneous, and mucosal venous malformations were remarkable in their absence of neurologic events and associated cavernoma; significance of ectatic venous convergence, extension, and preponderance of deep drainage routes; and frequency with which they multiple in occurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
Developmental venous anomalies have a remarkable prevalence of 20% in patients with extensive superficial venous malformations. Therefore, it is important to search for a cerebral developmental venous anomaly when confronted with a cervicofacial venous malformation.
Boukobza
M
M
Department of Neuroradiology and Therapeutic Angiography, Hôpital Lariboisière, Paris, France.
Enjolras
O
O
Guichard
J P
JP
Gelbert
F
F
Herbreteau
D
D
Reizine
D
D
Merland
J J
JJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002550:Cerebral Veins / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005145:Face / Q000098:blood supply; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000098:blood supply*; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000098:blood supply*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010808:Physical Examination; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014680:Veins / Q000002:abnormalities; D014963:X-Ray Intensifying Screens