title: Cavernous hemangioma of the skull: 3 case reports.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intraosseous cavernous hemangiomas of the bone are uncommon tumors, accounting for 0.7% to 1% of all bone neoplasms. The vertebral column is most often affected, followed by the skull. Calvarial cavernous hemangioma is rare, comprising about 0.2% of all benign neoplasms of the skull.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe 3 patients with calvarial hemangiomas that were localized frontally (2 cases) and parietally. The diameter ranged from 2 to 3 cm. They presented with slowly growing mass, hard to pressure, with freely mobile skin above the cavernoma sites. Cranial CT scan showed osteolytic lesion with erosion of the tabula externa. Magnetic resonance imaging performed in one patient showed hypointense lesion on T1-weighted image and hyperintense on T2-weighted image. Resection and postoperative course were uneventful. Pathological examination revealed a cavernous hemangioma of the diploe.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Skull cavernous hemangiomas are rare benign tumors. The preferred treatment is complete tumor removal with normal bony margins. Sometimes, the classic radiographic appearances are not evident. Consequently, the diagnosis is most often made during surgical resection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Mohammed V Military Hospital, Rabat 56987, Morocco. oukacha_naama@caramail.com
authors.forename: Okacha
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Naama
authors.forename: Miloudi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gazzaz
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akhaddar
authors.forename: Adil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belhachmi
authors.forename: Abad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asri
authors.forename: Brahim
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elmostarchid
authors.forename: Abderrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elbouzidi
authors.forename: Bouchaib
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kadiri
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boucetta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed