Histological features of osteofibrous hemangioma of the maxillofacial and skull base regions.
OBJECTIVE
The histological spectrum of hemangiomas of the skull base and maxillofacial skeleton was evaluated to help explain the variability of the clinical and radiological presentation of this tumor.


METHODS
Retrospective case series.


METHODS
Patients with surgically treated hemangiomas of the ear, sinuses, skull base, and maxillofacial bones.


METHODS
Light microscopic appearance of surgical specimens.


RESULTS
Review of specimens from 23 tumors revealed two distinct histological patterns: 1) typical histology consisting of vascular spaces lined by endothelium and a thin layer of smooth muscle, and 2) osteofibrous histology that consisted of prominent fibrous tissue between vascular spaces associated occasionally with neo-osseogenesis. The osteofibrous histology was more prevalent in the sinonasal and anterior skull base regions compared to the internal auditory canal.


CONCLUSIONS
Connective tissue and bony proliferation within hemangiomas vary according to tumor location and may have implications for the radiological appearance, ease of surgical resection, and associated morbidity.
Stamataki
Sofia
S
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Francis
Howard W
HW
Holliday
Michael
M
McCarthy
Edward
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008441:Maxillary Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019292:Skull Base Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*