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Parenchymal abnormalities associated with developmental venous anomalies

  • Diagnostic Neuroradiology
  • Published:
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Abstract

Introduction

To report a retrospective series of 84 cerebral developmental venous anomalies (DVAs), focusing on associated parenchymal abnormalities within the drainage territory of the DVA.

Methods

DVAs were identified during routine diagnostic radiological work-up based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (60 cases), computed tomography (CT) (62 cases) or both (36 cases). Regional parenchymal modifications within the drainage territory of the DVA, such as cortical or subcortical atrophy, white matter density or signal alterations, dystrophic calcifications, presence of haemorrhage or a cavernous-like vascular malformation (CVM), were noted. A stenosis of the collecting vein of the DVA was also sought for.

Results

Brain abnormalities within the drainage territory of a DVA were encountered in 65.4% of the cases. Locoregional brain atrophy occurred in 29.7% of the cases, followed by white matter lesions in 28.3% of MRI investigations and 19.3% of CT investigations, CVMs in 13.3% of MRI investigations and dystrophic calcification in 9.6% of CT investigations. An intracranial haemorrhage possibly related to a DVA occurred in 2.4% cases, and a stenosis on the collecting vein was documented in 13.1% of cases. Parenchymal abnormalities were identified for all DVA sizes.

Conclusion

Brain parenchymal abnormalities were associated with DVAs in close to two thirds of the cases evaluated. These abnormalities are thought to occur secondarily, likely during post-natal life, as a result of chronic venous hypertension. Outflow obstruction, progressive thickening of the walls of the DVA and their morphological organization into a venous convergence zone are thought to contribute to the development of venous hypertension in DVA.

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Acknowledgements

We warmly thank Mrs. Amber Jones and Mr Frank Henry for their technical assistance.

Conflict of interest statement

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Interventional Neuroradiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    Diego San Millán Ruíz & Philippe Gailloud

  2. Neuroradiology Section, Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland

    Jacqueline Delavelle

  3. Section of Interventional Neuroradiology, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland

    Hasan Yilmaz & Daniel A Rüfenacht

  4. Service of Neuroradiology, Verona City Hospital, Verona, Italy

    Enrico Piovan, Alberto Bertramello & Francesca Pizzini

Authors
  1. Diego San Millán Ruíz
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  2. Jacqueline Delavelle
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  3. Hasan Yilmaz
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Correspondence to Diego San Millán Ruíz.

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San Millán Ruíz, D., Delavelle, J., Yilmaz, H. et al. Parenchymal abnormalities associated with developmental venous anomalies. Neuroradiology 49, 987–995 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-007-0279-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-007-0279-0

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